Abstract
The purpose of this investigation was to examine the differences in body-related commentary experienced by young women with different BMIs as well as the pattern of relationships between body-related commentary and other body-related perceptions and behaviours across BMI category. Female undergraduates (N=267, Mage=18.9, MBMI=23) completed validated measures of body-related commentary, body-satisfaction, self-objectification, and obligatory exercise. MANOVA revealed a number of significant effects. First, women categorized as overweight experienced more frequent appearance-based criticisms (M=2.3) than healthy weight (M=1.9) or underweight women (M=1.6, p's<.004). Second, underweight women received more frequent appearance-based compliments (M=3.4) than either healthy weight (M=2.6) or underweight women (M=1.8) with those categorized as underweight receiving significantly fewer compliments than anyone else (p's <.001). Finally, underweight women received more frequent function-based criticisms (M=2.1) compared to healthy weight women (M=1.6, p=.03). Bivariate correlations revealed that, regardless of BMI, the frequency of appearance related criticisms was negatively related to body satisfaction (range -.55 to -.31) while the frequency of function-related compliments was positively associated with obligatory exercising (range = .45 to .55). While a number of other relationships between body-related commentary and body-related perceptions emerged, the pattern of these relationships differed by BMI. These preliminary findings suggest women in different BMI categories experience different body-related commentary and appear to reflect the media-based perceptions of the thin-ideal for women.
