Body shape concerns and behavioral intentions on eating disorders: a cross-sectional study of Chinese female university students using an extended theory of reasoned action model

BackgroundWeight and body shape concerns have become increasingly common among adolescents. Chinese university students show a high risk of eating disorder behaviors. This study aims to analyze the moderating effect of BMI on the relationships between body shape, attitudes, subjective norms, and eat...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jingyi Zhao, Jing Zhao, Han Yuan, Zeng Gao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2024-12-01
Series:Frontiers in Nutrition
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1501536/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1846110576027107328
author Jingyi Zhao
Jing Zhao
Han Yuan
Zeng Gao
Zeng Gao
author_facet Jingyi Zhao
Jing Zhao
Han Yuan
Zeng Gao
Zeng Gao
author_sort Jingyi Zhao
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundWeight and body shape concerns have become increasingly common among adolescents. Chinese university students show a high risk of eating disorder behaviors. This study aims to analyze the moderating effect of BMI on the relationships between body shape, attitudes, subjective norms, and eating disorder behavioral intentions among Chinese female university students using the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) model.MethodsA stratified random sample of 679 female Chinese university students (age, mean ± SD = 19.792 ± 1.007) participated in the study. The surveys comprised the Theory of Reasoned Action Questionnaire (TRA-Q) and the Body Shape Questionnaire (BS-Q) to assess their body shape concerns and behavioral intentions regarding eating disorders. Structural equation modeling was used to test the extended TRA model, with body shape as an additional predictor and BMI as a moderator.ResultsBody shape positively affected attitudes (β = 0.444, p < 0.001), subjective norms (β = 0.506, p < 0.001), and intentions (β = 0.374, p < 0.001). BMI significantly moderated the relationships between attitudes (t = −3.012, p < 0.01), subjective norms (t = −2.678, p < 0.01), and body shapes (t = −4.485, p < 0.001) toward eating disorder intentions.ConclusionBody shape and BMI directly influence eating disorder behavioral intentions among Chinese female university students. The findings suggest that young Chinese women’s eating disorder intentions are increasingly influenced by external factors related to body shape and BMI.
format Article
id doaj-art-eda0c32dc02e4aa6b5ccd61551eaea12
institution Kabale University
issn 2296-861X
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Nutrition
spelling doaj-art-eda0c32dc02e4aa6b5ccd61551eaea122024-12-24T05:10:24ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Nutrition2296-861X2024-12-011110.3389/fnut.2024.15015361501536Body shape concerns and behavioral intentions on eating disorders: a cross-sectional study of Chinese female university students using an extended theory of reasoned action modelJingyi Zhao0Jing Zhao1Han Yuan2Zeng Gao3Zeng Gao4Physical Education Department, Nanjing Institute of Technology, Nanjing, ChinaCollege of Educational Science, Guangdong Preschool Normal College in Maoming, Maoming, ChinaDepartment of Physical Education, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Physical Education, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, ChinaSchool of Educational Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, George Town, Pinang, MalaysiaBackgroundWeight and body shape concerns have become increasingly common among adolescents. Chinese university students show a high risk of eating disorder behaviors. This study aims to analyze the moderating effect of BMI on the relationships between body shape, attitudes, subjective norms, and eating disorder behavioral intentions among Chinese female university students using the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) model.MethodsA stratified random sample of 679 female Chinese university students (age, mean ± SD = 19.792 ± 1.007) participated in the study. The surveys comprised the Theory of Reasoned Action Questionnaire (TRA-Q) and the Body Shape Questionnaire (BS-Q) to assess their body shape concerns and behavioral intentions regarding eating disorders. Structural equation modeling was used to test the extended TRA model, with body shape as an additional predictor and BMI as a moderator.ResultsBody shape positively affected attitudes (β = 0.444, p < 0.001), subjective norms (β = 0.506, p < 0.001), and intentions (β = 0.374, p < 0.001). BMI significantly moderated the relationships between attitudes (t = −3.012, p < 0.01), subjective norms (t = −2.678, p < 0.01), and body shapes (t = −4.485, p < 0.001) toward eating disorder intentions.ConclusionBody shape and BMI directly influence eating disorder behavioral intentions among Chinese female university students. The findings suggest that young Chinese women’s eating disorder intentions are increasingly influenced by external factors related to body shape and BMI.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1501536/fullbody shape concernbehavioral intentioneating disordersfemale university studentstheory of reasoned action
spellingShingle Jingyi Zhao
Jing Zhao
Han Yuan
Zeng Gao
Zeng Gao
Body shape concerns and behavioral intentions on eating disorders: a cross-sectional study of Chinese female university students using an extended theory of reasoned action model
Frontiers in Nutrition
body shape concern
behavioral intention
eating disorders
female university students
theory of reasoned action
title Body shape concerns and behavioral intentions on eating disorders: a cross-sectional study of Chinese female university students using an extended theory of reasoned action model
title_full Body shape concerns and behavioral intentions on eating disorders: a cross-sectional study of Chinese female university students using an extended theory of reasoned action model
title_fullStr Body shape concerns and behavioral intentions on eating disorders: a cross-sectional study of Chinese female university students using an extended theory of reasoned action model
title_full_unstemmed Body shape concerns and behavioral intentions on eating disorders: a cross-sectional study of Chinese female university students using an extended theory of reasoned action model
title_short Body shape concerns and behavioral intentions on eating disorders: a cross-sectional study of Chinese female university students using an extended theory of reasoned action model
title_sort body shape concerns and behavioral intentions on eating disorders a cross sectional study of chinese female university students using an extended theory of reasoned action model
topic body shape concern
behavioral intention
eating disorders
female university students
theory of reasoned action
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1501536/full
work_keys_str_mv AT jingyizhao bodyshapeconcernsandbehavioralintentionsoneatingdisordersacrosssectionalstudyofchinesefemaleuniversitystudentsusinganextendedtheoryofreasonedactionmodel
AT jingzhao bodyshapeconcernsandbehavioralintentionsoneatingdisordersacrosssectionalstudyofchinesefemaleuniversitystudentsusinganextendedtheoryofreasonedactionmodel
AT hanyuan bodyshapeconcernsandbehavioralintentionsoneatingdisordersacrosssectionalstudyofchinesefemaleuniversitystudentsusinganextendedtheoryofreasonedactionmodel
AT zenggao bodyshapeconcernsandbehavioralintentionsoneatingdisordersacrosssectionalstudyofchinesefemaleuniversitystudentsusinganextendedtheoryofreasonedactionmodel
AT zenggao bodyshapeconcernsandbehavioralintentionsoneatingdisordersacrosssectionalstudyofchinesefemaleuniversitystudentsusinganextendedtheoryofreasonedactionmodel