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.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/5446 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Bruk, Lila |
| Contributors | Labadarios, Demetre, Herselman, Marietjie, University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Health Sciences. Dept. of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Human Nutrition. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xviii, 161 p. : ill. |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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