Logo image
Back
Longitudinal relationships between anti-fat attitudes and muscle dysmorphia symptoms
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Longitudinal relationships between anti-fat attitudes and muscle dysmorphia symptoms

William Grunewald, Ross Sonnenblick, Shruti S. Kinkel-Ram, Taylor B. Stanley, Olivia M. Clancy and April R. Smith
Body image, v 51, 101786
Dec 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2024.101786
PMID: 39226792

Abstract

Anti-fat attitudes Longitudinal Muscle dysmorphia Weight stigma
Weight stigma, and more specifically, anti-fat attitudes, is associated with disordered eating. Furthermore, these anti-fat attitudes influence various appearance ideals. Muscle dysmorphia (MD) is characterized by preoccupation with the muscular ideal and is a potential form of disordered eating commonly experienced by men. Despite theory suggesting that anti-fat attitudes may contribute to MD, research has yet to examine associations between anti-fat attitudes and MD symptoms. Therefore, the current study investigated longitudinal relationships between anti-fat attitudes and MD symptoms. Participants were 269 U.S. men recruited from Prolific who completed three self-report surveys each separated by one month. Primary analyses examined longitudinal relationships between specific anti-fat attitudes and MD symptoms using an adapted three-wave cross-lagged panel model. Results demonstrated that believing that fat people do not have willpower was longitudinally associated with desires to increase muscle size at multiple time points. Furthermore, MD-specific functional impairment predicted fears of becoming fat longitudinally. Practically, men may desire to increase their muscularity to demonstrate their own willpower and distance themselves from anti-fat stereotypes. Thus, clinicians may consider targeting weight stigmatizing attitudes to reduce MD symptom severity among their male clients. •Anti-fat attitudes (AFA) influence disordered eating and appearance ideals•Muscle dysmorphia (MD) is influenced by the muscular ideal•A longitudinal model tested relationships between MD symptoms and AFA among 269 men•Believing fat people have no willpower was longitudinally associated with higher MD symptoms•Clinicians may target AFA in the course of MD treatment

Metrics

1 Record Views
5 citations in Web of Science

Details

Logo image