title: Changes in body image and dieting among 16-19-year-old Icelandic students from 2000 to 2010.
abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate trends in body image and dieting among 16-19-year-old students in Iceland from 2000 to 2010. Data from four cross-sectional surveys conducted among Icelandic students in 26 junior colleges using four time points were compared to examine changes in body image and dieting. In total, 33,801 students with the mean age of 17.3 years participated. Body image became significantly more positive over the 10-year period for both genders. At all time points, females reported more negative body image than males and a higher proportion of dieters were females than males. There was a decrease in the frequency of dieting among females over time but an increase among males, resulting in a narrower gender gap in dieting. Further examination of these trends in body image and dieting may reveal differences in causal mechanisms behind negative body image and dieting between the genders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland. Electronic address: gudruningolfsdottir@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Gudrun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ingolfsdottir
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, School of Business, Reykjavik University, Reykjavik, Iceland; The Icelandic Centre for Social Research and Analysis (ICSRA), Reykjavik, Iceland.
authors.forename: Bryndis Bjork
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Asgeirsdottir
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado, Department of Pediatrics, Denver, Colorado, USA.
authors.forename: Thrudur
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gunnarsdottir
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.
authors.forename: Andri Steinthor
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Bjornsson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004038:Diet, Reducing / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescents; Body dissatisfaction; Body image; Dieting; Iceland; Trends