Romantic relationships are one of the most important relationships a woman will develop in her life. Women are often socialized to be compliant within their relationships, and are reminded of how a thin body type is ideal. The implications of this socialization can affect the way a woman feels about her body. The current study included 207 women who ranged in age from 18-30, were in a relationship (neither married nor engaged) for 6 months or longer, and identified as either being attracted to the same or opposite sex. Results of the study indicated a significant effect of higher levels of body dissatisfaction between both negative relationship quality, and increased engagement in unhealthy dietary behaviours. In addition, self-silencing was found to be a significant mediator in the relationship between relationship quality and both body dissatisfaction and unhealthy dietary behaviours. Limitations of the study and directions for future research are discussed.

Thesis (MNutr (Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Human Nutrition))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background: Poor body image perception and body dissatisfaction has been found to be a risk factor for eating disorders. Studies have found that signs of distorted body image perception and body dissatisfaction can be detected in children as young as 8 or 9 years old. Aim: The current study served to assess the extent of this problem in Northeastern Johannesburg, South Africa, in order to allow for the necessary intervention steps (e.g. development of school-based programmes) to deal with this problem to be put in place. Method: The study was a cross-sectional analytical study with a descriptive component. Two hundred and four girls (81.37% Black, 15.20% White and 3.43% Coloured or Indian) aged between 96 and 119 months in primary schools in Northeastern Johannesburg were selected for this study using systematic random sampling. They were required to complete a questionnaire about their body image perception and weight control behaviours, as well as undergo anthropometric measurements (i.e. weight and height). Results: This study found that the subjects placed much importance on being thin, with subjects stating that they thought if a girl was thin she would be more popular (63.96%), have better self esteem (69.63%), be more attractive (69.11%), be more feminine (73.80%) and be healthier (66.84%). When asked to identify the girl from a silhouette drawing that most resembled themselves, 45.00% of the subjects were able to accurately identify which girl’s size most resembled their own, whereas 48.50% saw themselves as thinner than they are and 6.50% saw themselves as fatter than they are. In addition, the majority of subjects (69.61%) said that they were very happy with their weight and the majority (74.88%) classified it as “just right.” However, despite these findings, there was still significant body dissatisfaction evident in the group with 50.25% of the subjects wanting to be thinner, 28.57% wanting to be fatter and only 21.18% not wanting to be thinner or fatter than they currently are. Of the subjects participating in the study, 50.98% had tried to lose weight in the past and 28.71% had tried to gain weight. Also, various factors (i.e. media, cultural, family and peer influences), were shown to have a significant influence on the subjects’ body image perception. Other factors such as socioeconomic status and physical activity level had no significant link with the subjects’ body image perception. Conclusion: There is a significant problem with poor body image perception and resultant weight control behaviours in this age group. Clearly, there is a need for body image improvement programmes to be put in place in primary schools so as to prevent preadolescent girls from moving towards a lifetime of suffering with body dissatisfaction or, even worse, developing a life-threatening eating disorder. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Agtergrond: ’n Swak liggaamsbeeld en liggaamsontevredenheid is bekende risikofaktore vir die ontwikkeling van eetsteurnisse. Volgens studies kan tekens van ’n verwronge liggaamsbeeld en liggaamsontevredenheid reeds by jong kinders, van 8 of 9 jaar, bespeur word. Doel: Hierdie studie het gepoog om die omvang van dié probleem in die noordooste van Johannesburg, Suid-Afrika, te bepaal ten einde die nodige intervensiemaatreëls te tref (byvoorbeeld om skoolgebaseerde programme te ontwikkel) om die probleem die hoof te bied. Metode: Die studie is ’n dwarssnit analitiese studie met ’n beskrywende komponent. Met behulp van sistematiese, ewekansige steekproefneming is 204 laerskoolmeisies (81.37% Swart, 15.20% Wit en 3.43% Bruin of Indiër) van tussen 96 en 119 maande uit die noordooste van Johannesburg as proefpersone vir die studie gekies. Die meisies moes elk ’n vraelys oor hul liggaamsbeeld en gewigsbeheergedrag invul sowel as antropometriese meting van gewig en lengte ondergaan. Resultate: Die studie het gevind dat die proefpersone baie waarde daaraan heg om maer te wees. Hulle reken onder meer dat, indien ’n meisie maer is, sy waarskynlik gewilder sal wees (63.96%), ’n beter selfbeeld sal hê (69.63%), aantrekliker sal wees (69.11%), vrouliker (73.80%) en gesonder sal wees (66.84%). Toe hulle op ’n profielskets ’n meisie moes uitwys na wie hulle dink hulle die meeste lyk, kon 45.00% van die proefpersone akkuraat uitwys watter meisie se grootte die meeste met hulle s’n ooreenstem, terwyl 48.50% hulself as maerder en 6.50% hulself as vetter beskou het as wat hulle werklik is. Die meerderheid van die proefpersone (69.61%) was oënskynlik gelukkig met hul gewig en die meeste (74.88%) het hul gewig as “net reg” beskryf. Tog, ondanks dié bevindinge, was daar steeds beduidende liggaamsontevredenheid by die groep: 50.25% van die subjekte wil maerder wees, 28.57% vetter en slegs 21.18% nie maerder óf vetter as wat hulle tans is nie. Van die studiedeelnemers het 50.98% al voorheen probeer gewig verloor, terwyl 28.71% al probeer gewig aansit het. Verskeie faktore (soos media-, kulturele, gesins- en portuurinvloede) blyk ook ’n beduidende impak op die proefpersone se liggaamsbeeld te hê. Daarenteen toon ander faktore, soos sosio-ekonomiese status en vlak van fisieke aktiwiteit, geen wesenlike verband met die proefpersone se liggaamsbeeld nie. Gevolgtrekking: Hierdie ouderdomsgroep blyk ’n beduidende probleem met ’n gebrekkige liggaamsbeeld en gevolglike gewigsbeheergedrag te hê. Daar is duidelik ’n behoefte aan programme om laerskoolmeisies se liggaamsbeeld te verbeter ten einde te voorkom dat preadolessente meisies weens liggaamsontevredenheid ’n leeftyd van swaarkry tegemoetgaan of, selfs erger, ’n lewensgevaarlike eetsteurnis ontwikkel.

abstract: ABSTRACT While the cross-cultural literature on body dissatisfaction among Mexican and Mexican-American women has continued to grow, the traditional Latino female gender role of marianismo, sociocultural factors related to ethnic culture and mainstream/American culture ideal perceived discrepancies in body size, and one’s romantic relationship have not been explored with this population in relationship to body satisfaction. The current study included 227 female participants predominantly from a large southwestern university in the United States and a large university in northern Mexico. The study examined differences in marianismo and body satisfaction between 120 Mexican and 107 Mexican-American women, investigated the role of marianismo as a mediator between weight-related teasing and body satisfaction, and explored the relationship between marianismo, Partner Ideal Discrepancy, Ethnic Culture Ideal Discrepancy, Mainstream/American Culture Ideal Discrepancy, Perceived Weight-Related Criticism/Teasing, Relationship Support, Relationship Depth, and Relationship Conflict to overall body satisfaction. Results indicated Mexican-American women endorsed less overall body satisfaction than did their Mexican counterparts suggesting that Mexican American women may be more influenced by societal messages about thinness and beauty than are Mexican women. The findings also revealed a possible trend for marianismo as a mediator between weight-related criticism and body satisfaction. Marianismo and weight-related teasing were found to have a negative relationship with body satisfaction. Multiple regression analyses revealed that Partner Ideal and Mainstream/American Culture Ideal discrepancies accounted for significant variance in body satisfaction. Relationship Conflict accounted for a smaller but still significant amount of the variance in body satisfaction. Ethnic Culture Discrepancy, Relationship Support, and Relationship Depth were not significant predictors. These findings from this study suggest that both cultural variables and romantic relationship variables are related to the body image of Mexican American and Mexican women. These findings have important implications for the adaptation of current etiological models explaining body satisfaction among Mexican and Mexican-American women as well as highlighting the need to consider the role of both cultural and relationship variables in designing clinical interventions for Mexican American and Mexican women coping with body image concerns. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Counseling Psychology 2015

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-07-13T18:40:37Z No. of bitstreams: 1 valterpaulonevesmiranda.pdf: 1092929 bytes, checksum: 6e1c91661f07cbbd1520ecad867a2b2b (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Diamantino Mayra (mayra.diamantino@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-07-14T10:35:39Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 valterpaulonevesmiranda.pdf: 1092929 bytes, checksum: 6e1c91661f07cbbd1520ecad867a2b2b (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-14T10:35:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 valterpaulonevesmiranda.pdf: 1092929 bytes, checksum: 6e1c91661f07cbbd1520ecad867a2b2b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-02-28 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Devido às mudanças físicas e psicossociais que ocorrem na adolescência, muitos jovens podem sofrer insatisfação com sua imagem corporal, influenciada por fatores biológicos e socioculturais. Por isso, este estudo buscou analisar a incidência de insatisfação corporal de adolescentes que vivem em cidades de pequeno porte, bem como a influência da idade, do sexo e do estado nutricional na insatisfação com o corpo. Realizou-se uma pesquisa epidemiológica do tipo transversal com escolares de 15 a 19 anos, moradores de cidades com até 5.000 habitantes, localizadas na Zona da Mata mineira, em um raio de 70 km de Juiz de Fora, MG. Foram encontradas 9 cidades com 1.015 alunos matriculados no ensino médio, em 4 cidades, selecionadas de forma aleatória simples. Em cada uma, foi feito um censo com todos os alunos elegíveis para se alcançar um número de jovens relevante, sendo a amostra composta por 413 escolares. A insatisfação corporal foi avaliada pelo Body Shape Questionnaire e pela Escala Evaluacíon de Insatisfacíon Corporal para Adolescentes, ambos validados para a população adolescente brasileira. A idade, o sexo e o estado nutricional foram as variáveis independentes selecionadas para verificar a relação dos escolares com a insatisfação corporal. Foi usado o software SPSS v.17.0 para fazer análise descritiva das variáveis e os testes estatísticos para verificar a relação das variáveis biológicas com a insatisfação corporal, usando nível de significância de 5%. O teste de normalidade de Komolgorov Smirnov, o teste de variância de Kruskall-Wallis com post hoc Bonferroni e o teste de Mann-Whitney foram usados para analisar a relação das variáveis independentes com a insatisfação corporal. A média de idade foi de 16,6±1,4 anos, sendo 178 do sexo masculino (41,3%) e 235 do sexo feminino (56,9%). A maioria dos adolescentes, 71,9%, foi classificada com índice de Massa Corporal normal. As médias gerais de insatisfação corporal foram 66,78±29,63 pontos no Body Shape Questionnaire, sendo que 73,6% dos adolescentes mostraram-se livres de insatisfação Corporal pela análise desse instrumento. Já a Escala de Avaliação da Insatisfação corporal para Adolescentes obteve 17,96±11,74 pontos de média de insatisfação. Nas cidades pesquisadas, houve diferença significativa de insatisfação (p<0,05) e observou-se que as meninas estavam, significativamente, mais insatisfeitas que os meninos. Os jovens que apresentaram IMC acima do normal estavam mais insatisfeitos. Concluiu-se que a insatisfação não teve alta incidência entre os adolescentes das cidades pequenas pesquisadas, contudo percebeu-se que algumas variáveis, como o estado nutricional e o sexo, são fatores que contribuem para insatisfação corporal. Estudos epidemiológicos são importantes para avaliar a relação da imagem corporal com a insatisfação corporal entre os adolescentes de regiões com contextos sociodemográficos diferentes. Além disso, servem para detectar quais são os principais fatores que influenciam no aumento da insatisfação dos jovens com o próprio corpo. / Due to the physical and psychosocial changes that occur on the adolescence, a lot of young boys and girls can suffer dissatisfaction with their body image that can be caused by biological and sociocultural factors. Thus, this study sought analyze the incidence of teenagers body dissatisfaction specially whose that live in small cities and the influence of other factors like these: age, sex and nutritional state on this dissatisfaction with the body. An transversal epidemiological research was donne with students among 15 to 19 years old that live on cities with until 5.000 inhabitants located in the mineira Zona da Mata , around the 70 Km the Juiz de Fora city, Minas Gerais. According to the informations, nine cities were found with 1.015 matriculated students on medium degree. Four cities were selected on the simple aleatory form. In each one, an census was donne with all the elegible students trying to reach a relevant number of youthes compounding a pattern with 413 students. The body dissatisfaction was evaluated by the Body Shape Questionnaire and by Escala Evaliacíon de Insatisfaíon Corporal para Adolescentes, both made valid to the brazilian teenagers population. The age, the sex and the nutritional state were the independent variances selected to verify the students relation with the body dissatisfaction. A software SPSS v.17.0 was used to make the variances descriptive analysis and the statistics tests to verify the biological variances relation with the body dissatisfaction by using the significance level of 5%. The Komolgorov Smimov test; the Kruskall-Wallis test with post hoc Bonferroni and Mann-Whitney test were utilized to evaluate the dissatisfaction among the young people that live in small cities selected with independents variables. The age average was 16,6 ± 1,4 years old, 178 males (41,3%) and 235 females (56,9%). The majority of the teenagers, 71,9%, was classified with normal Body mass index. The general averages of the Body Shape Questionnaire was 66,78 ± 29,63 with classification 73,6% of adolescents considered points themselves free of corporal dissatisfaction. The EEICA‟s score was 17,96 ± 11,74 points, however, this scale can‟t dissatisfaction classification. Among the researched cities, there was a significant dissatisfaction difference (p< 0,05) an it was observed that the girls were more dissatisfaction than the boys. It was also noticed that the students with body mass index above average were more dissatisfation. It was conclude that the dissatisfaction didn‟t have great incidence among the teenagers in the researched small cities. However, it was perceived that some variances, as the nutritional state and sex are factors that contribute to the body dissatisfaction. Epidemiologic studies, like this research, are important to evaluate the corporal image relation with body dissatisfaction among the teenagers of the regions with different sociodemographical contexts. Besides, they serve to detect which are the principal factors that influence on the increase of the youth‟s dissatisfaction with own body.

Submitted by isabela.moljf@hotmail.com (isabela.moljf@hotmail.com) on 2017-05-22T10:35:46Z No. of bitstreams: 1 gilmarajaqueschaves.pdf: 1761470 bytes, checksum: f4673b60f6e22822f7c804429925379d (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2017-05-22T17:17:40Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 gilmarajaqueschaves.pdf: 1761470 bytes, checksum: f4673b60f6e22822f7c804429925379d (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-22T17:17:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 gilmarajaqueschaves.pdf: 1761470 bytes, checksum: f4673b60f6e22822f7c804429925379d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-08-30 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O objetivo deste trabalho exploratório foi investigar a prevalência de Compulsão Alimentar Periódica, Síndrome Depressiva, Síndrome Ansiosa e Insatisfação corporal, bem como verificar suas possíveis associações entre si, ao consumo de psicoativos, a outras variáveis sócio-demográficas e comportamentais entre 1.590 universitários do 1º e 7º períodos de todos os cursos de graduação da Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora. O questionário aplicado na pesquisa foi semiestruturado, autoaplicável, anônimo, sigiloso, contendo variáveis diversas — estudantis, demográficas, sociais, pessoais, relativas à sexualidade, comportamentais ligadas ao uso de psicoativos, estéticas, de tratamento médico, massa corporal, bem como resultados de rastreamento para compulsão alimentar periódica, depressão, ansiedade e insatisfação corporal. Foram efetivadas análises exploratórias, bivariadas e, para caracterizar o peso relativo das variáveis estudadas sobre os desfechos analisados, utilizou-se a regressão logística. Os resultados indicaram que, dentre os estudantes avaliados, foi positivamente identificado pelos instrumentos de rastreamento que: 8,2% apresentavam compulsão alimentar periódica; 3,8%, depressão; 13,9%, ansiedade e 10,1%, insatisfação corporal. Nos modelos de regressão logística desenvolvidos, observou-se que as escalas de compulsão alimentar periódica e de ansiedade associaram-se significantemente à presença de depressão e de insatisfação corporal. As escalas de depressão e de insatisfação corporal associaram-se à presença de compulsão alimentar periódica e de ansiedade. Os universitários com Índice de Massa Corporal elevado tiveram maior probabilidade de apresentar compulsão alimentar periódica e insatisfação corporal e, os que usaram psicoativos sob prescrição médica, de desenvolver compulsão alimentar periódica e depressão. As mulheres foram vulneráveis aos quadros de ansiedade e de insatisfação corporal e, aqueles que mencionaram sentir-se nunca ou raramente felizes, aos de depressão e de ansiedade. Universitários que relataram fazer tratamento para alguma doença crônica e com renda familiar de até 10 salários mínimos apresentaram maiores chances de ter ansiedade e, os possíveis dependentes alcoólicos, de ter depressão. Finalmente, os que mencionaram ser o abdome a parte do corpo de que menos gostavam, que tinham vontade de fazer cirurgia plástica e que cursavam disciplinas da saúde foram suscetíveis à insatisfação corporal. / The objective of this exploratory study was to investigate the prevalence of Binge Eating, Depressive Syndrome, Anxiety Syndrome and Body dissatisfaction as well as to verify their possible associations within these different disorders, with the use of psychoactive drugs and with other socio-demographic and behavioral variables among 1,590 college students attending the 1st and 7th semesters of all undergraduate courses at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora. The questionnaire applied for this research was semi-structured, self-applied, anonymous, confidential, containing several variables — related to student life style, demographic, social, personal, sexuality, related behaviorally to the use of psychoactive drugs, aesthetic, related to medical treatment, body mass/weight, as well as to traced results for Binge Eating, Depressive Syndrome, Anxiety Syndrome and Body image dissatisfaction. Exploratory bivariate analyzes were executed and logistic regression was used to characterize the relative weight of the studied variables over the analyzed outcomes. Among the students evaluated, it was indicated that the following results were positively identified through the tracing instruments utilized: 8.2% presented Binge Eating; 3.8% presented Depression; 13.9% presented Anxiety and 10.1% presented Body dissatisfaction. In the logistic regression models developed it was observed that the levels of Binge Eating and anxiety were associated to the presence of depression and body dissatisfaction. The levels of depression and body dissatisfaction were associated to the presence of Binge Eating and anxiety. The students with elevated body mass indexes were more likely to present Binge Eating and body dissatisfaction and the ones taking psychoactive prescription drugs were more likely to develop Binge Eating and depression. Female students were vulnerable to present anxiety and body dissatisfaction and the students who reported rarely or never feeling happy were prone to present depression and anxiety. College students that reported being under treatment for any chronic diseases and placed in the monthly income bracket of up to 10 minimum wages showed higher likelihood to display anxiety as well as the presence of alcoholism and depression among their children. Finally, the students that reported dissatisfaction with their bodies, particularly with their midsection, the desire to undergo plastic surgery and were taking health related courses were more susceptible to body dissatisfaction.

American culture supports a colorist system that values lighter skin tones in women of color, and these norms are communicated in some part by images present in our society. Previous research has not explored the impact that colorist images may have on the psychological health and appearance concerns of women of color. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether exposure to images of Black women who more closely meet colorist beauty standards (i.e., lighter skin) would negatively impact women’s psychological health and general appearance concerns. It was hypothesized that participants exposed to colorist images of Black women would experience greater increased negative affect, skin tone dissatisfaction, and appearance concerns; and greater decreased self-esteem. It was hypothesized that these relationships would be weaker in Black women who self-identify more closely with their ethnic background. It was further hypothesized that these relationships would be stronger in women with higher levels of internalization, poorer satisfaction with their skin tone, darker skin tones, greater desire for lighter skin, and lower trait levels of self-esteem. Results suggest images of Black women with varying skin tones do not impact the appearance concerns, negative affect, or self-esteem of Black women exposed to such images. However, trait self-esteem, self- identification with Black values, skin tone dissatisfaction and desired skin tone were found to moderate these relationships. This study makes an important contribution to the area of appearance and body image concerns specific to women of color. The dissemination of this research may contribute to the improvement of body dissatisfaction constructs specific to women of color.

Childhood obesity is a serious health problem and prevalence increases dramatically around the world, including Sweden. The aim of the current thesis was to examine parents’ and children’s stress in relation to childhood obesity. Parenting stress, social support, parental worries, and serious life events, as well as children’s temperament, self-esteem, body dissatisfaction, saliva cortisol, weight and height were measured to estimate stress and the relation between stress and childhood obesity. Data was collected as part of the cohort project All Babies in Southeast Sweden (ABIS) which main aim is to understand the causes of Type 1 Diabetes. All 21700 children born between October 1997 and October 1999 in Southeast Sweden and their parents were invited to participate and questionnaires were completed for 16070 children at birth. Questionnaires were then collected at follow-ups at 1 year (N=11078), at 2-3 years (N=8803), at 5-6 years (N=7443), and at 8 years (N=3959). The main findings were a relation between parents’ psychological stress and lower self-esteem of children, a relation between parenting stress and higher cortisol levels of children, and a relation between children’s body dissatisfaction and lower self-esteem. Another main finding was a relation between cumulative psychological stress and an increased prevalence of childhood obesity. The current thesis summarized these results, found good validity of the instruments, and the analyses did not indicate any systematic attrition due to stress. It is concluded that the psychological variables reported by parents can be used as proxies for children’s experience of stress in epidemiological studies such as ABIS, and that psychological stress seems to be a contributing factor in childhood obesity. This relation needs to be studied further in order to better understand and intervene in the current epidemic of childhood obesity. These findings may also help to better examine if psychological stress and childhood obesity are contributing factors in the etiology of Type 1 Diabetes. / Alla Barn i Sydöstra Sverige - ABIS

Given the centrality of body dissatisfaction in the manifestation of health risk behaviors (e.g., eating disorders, muscle dysmorphia) and psychological distress in men, the ability to measure it accurately is essential. Across two studies, the psychometric properties and factor structure of a new measure of male body satisfaction were established. The Body Parts Satisfaction Scale for Men (BPSS-M) was found to have three scores: full body muscularity and leanness (18 items), upper body (12 items), and legs (4 items). All three scores were internally and temporally reliable, and support was found for the convergent, discriminant, and concurrent validity of the scores. The BPSS-M represents an advance in the measurement of male body image, providing researchers and clinicians with a versatile and valid way to assess this important construct.

Body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors are significant public health concerns, especially among college-age women. Despite extensive research, the complex nature of disordered eating and its etiology has prevented a satisfactory predictive model from being developed and validated and has therefore hindered the development of effective prevention and intervention strategies. This study aimed to integrate four of the most common etiological theories into a model to predict disordered eating behaviors. Bivariate correlations and moderation analyses were conducted to determine the strength of relationships between variables and to determine whether a protective factor (i.e., self-compassion) moderates the effects of risk factors (i.e., media exposure, thin-ideal internalization, negative affect) on body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, and bulimic behaviors. Results indicated that there were correlations between negative affect, thin-ideal internalization, and disordered eating behaviors. Contrary to hypotheses, media exposure had significant relationships with both bulimia and body dissatisfaction but was not significantly associated with thin-ideal internalization. Broadly, negative affect and thin-ideal internalization predicted disordered eating behaviors. Finally, self-compassion did not emerge as a consistent moderator of the relationship between the three risk factors and disordered eating behaviors – except with drive for thinness. Findings have potential implications for mental and physical healthcare interventions to reduce symptom experiences and increase well-being.

Syftet med den aktuella studien var att undersöka kvinnliga tränings- och tävlingsaktiva crossfit-atleters upplevelser, tankar och känslor till kroppsuppfattning och kroppsideal relaterat till sporten och tävling. I studien användes en kvalitativ forskningsmetod med semistrukturerade intervjuer. Deltagarna i studien var åtta kvinnliga tävlingsaktiva crossfit- atleter från Sverige i åldrarna 21-46 år (M=31.5, SD=8.76). Intervjuerna varade mellan 45-60 minuter och analyserades utifrån Braun et al. (2016) tematiska analys där huvudteman och underteman togs fram. I resultatet framkom det att deltagarna främst upplevde positiva tankar och känslor till sin egen kropp vilket kan bidra till en positiv kroppsuppfattning. Deltagarna i den aktuella studien ansåg den idrottsliga prestationen viktigare än att sträva efter ett visst utseendeideal. Vidare framkom det i resultatet att negativa känslor och tankar kunde uppstå gällande utseendeideal som framställs enligt samhällsnormer, där bland annat sociala medier upplevdes påverka atleterna negativt.  Resultatet kan vara intressant för coacher inom Crossfit, boxägare, andra utövare samt forskare för att öka kompetensen för kroppsideal och kroppsuppfattning inom träningskulturen som Crossfit ingår i. / The aim of the study was to investigate competitively active female Crossfit athletes and their experience, thoughts and feelings towards body image and body ideals related to the sport and competition. In the study, a qualitative research methodology with semi-structured interviews was used. The participants in the study were eight competitively active female Crossfit athletes from Sweden in the ages 21-46 years (M=31.5, SD=8.76). The interviews lasted between 45-60 minutes and were analysed based on Braun et al. (2016) thematic analysis, where main themes and sub-themes were created. The result showed that the participants mainly experienced positive thoughts and feelings about their own body which can contribute to a positive body image. The participants in the current study considered athletic performance as more important than striving to a specific ideal. Furthermore the result showed that negative thoughts and feelings could appear regarding body ideals that are being represented in the society, where social media, which was pointed out, could have a negative effect on the participants.  By increasing the competence regarding body image and body ideals in the Crossfit training culture, the result can be interesting for Crossfit coaches, owners of the boxes, other practitioners and researchers.