title: Drive for leanness and health-related behavior within a social/cultural perspective.
abstract: We examined relationships between drive for leanness and perceived media pressure to change appearance, internalization of an ideal physique, exercise frequency, and dieting. Men and women (N=353) completed the Drive for Leanness Scale, the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire-3, the Eating Attitudes Test-26, and a demographic inventory. Drive for leanness was significantly correlated with athletic internalization (.52), pressure to attain an ideal physique (.25), exercise frequency (.36), and dieting (.25). Structural equation modeling revealed a good fitting model (χ(2)=2.85, p<.241; CFI=.99; NNFI=.98; RMSEA=.04; SRMR=.02) with internalization predicting drive for leanness, which in turn predicted dieting and exercise. Results reveal social/cultural theory helps enhance the understanding of the drive for leanness and its relationship with health-related behavior.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, United Kingdom. Electronic address: dvt@aber.ac.uk.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tod
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Gareth
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D003469:Culture; D004032:Diet / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D004328:Drive; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D012649:Self Concept; D012945:Social Values; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013851:Thinness / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Body image; Dieting; Drive for leanness; Exercise; Internalization; Social/cultural theory