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. 2023 Jun;43(6):271-280.
doi: 10.24095/hpcdp.43.6.01.

Body-related shame and authentic pride are independently associated with self-rated health in young adults

[Article in English, French]
Kristen M Lucibello  1 , Erin K O'Loughlin  1   2 , Catherine M Sabiston  1 , Sabrina Malouka  1 , Roxy H O'Rourke  1 , Jennifer L O'Loughlin  3   2
Affiliations

Body-related shame and authentic pride are independently associated with self-rated health in young adults

[Article in English, French]
Kristen M Lucibello et al. Health Promot Chronic Dis Prev Can. 2023 Jun.

Abstract
in English, French

Introduction: Although body weight has been positioned as a strong predictor of physical and mental health, positive and negative body-related psychosocial factors may also be important. Further, both theoretical tenets and empirical evidence suggest that these associations may differ by gender. Our objectives were to examine the associations between body-related self-conscious emotions (body shame, body authentic pride) and physical and mental health in young adults, and to identify potential differences in these associations by gender.

Methods: Data for this cross-sectional study were drawn from the Nicotine Dependence in Teens (NDIT) study for 799 young adults (M [SD] age = 33.6 y [0.5]; 43.9% male). We estimated the associations between each of body shame and body authentic pride (i.e. the exposures) and both self-rated physical and self-rated mental health (i.e. the outcomes) in linear regression models that controlled for age, education and body mass index, and we examined potential gender differences in these associations by conducting gender-stratified analyses.

Results: In females, self-rated health and mental health decreased by 0.37 and 0.38, respectively, with each unit increase in body shame. Self-rated health and mental health increased by 0.25 and 0.23, respectively, for each unit increase in body authentic pride. In males, self-rated health and mental health decreased by 0.35 and 0.45, respectively, with each unit increase in body shame, and increased by 0.32 and 0.21, respectively, with each unit increase in body authentic pride.

Conclusion: Interventions that focus on body weight to the exclusion of body-related self-conscious emotions may side-step a key contributor to self-rated health.

Introduction: S’il est vrai que le poids constitue un fort prédicteur de la santé physique et mentale, il n’en demeure pas moins que les facteurs psychosociaux positifs et négatifs en lien avec le corps sont également susceptibles de jouer un rôle important. En outre, tant des fondements théoriques que des données empiriques tendent à indiquer que ces associations peuvent varier en fonction du genre. Nos objectifs étaient, d’une part, d’analyser les associations entre les émotions liées à la conscience de son corps (honte corporelle, fierté corporelle authentique) et la santé physique et mentale chez les jeunes adultes et, d’autre part, de cerner les différences potentielles dans ces associations en fonction du genre.

Méthodologie: Les données utilisées dans cette étude transversale ont été tirées de l’étude sur la dépendance à la nicotine chez les adolescents (étude NICO) et portaient sur 799 jeunes adultes (âge moyen = 33,6 ans [écart-type = 0,5]; 43,9 % d’hommes). Nous avons estimé les associations entre, d’une part, la honte corporelle et la fierté corporelle authentique (variables d’exposition) et, d’autre part, l’état de santé physique autoévalué et l’état de santé mentale autoévalué (variables de résultat) dans des modèles de régression linéaire tenant compte de l’âge, du niveau de scolarité et de l’indice de masse corporelle, et nous avons étudié les différences potentielles dans ces associations en fonction du genre en effectuant des analyses stratifiées selon le genre.

Résultats: Chez les femmes, l’état de santé physique autoévalué et l’état de santé mentale autoévalué diminuaient respectivement de 0,37 et de 0,38 pour chaque augmentation d’une unité de la honte corporelle. L’état de santé physique autoévalué et l’état de santé mentale autoévalué augmentaient de respectivement 0,25 et de 0,23 pour chaque augmentation d’une unité de fierté corporelle authentique. Chez les hommes, l’état de santé physique autoévalué et l’état de santé mentale autoévalué diminuaient de respectivement 0,35 et de 0,45 pour chaque augmentation d’une unité de la honte corporelle. L’état de santé physique autoévalué et l’état de santé mentale autoévalué augmentaient de respectivement 0,32 et de 0,21 pour chaque augmentation d’une unité de la fierté corporelle authentique.

Conclusion: Les interventions qui ciblent le poids sans tenir compte des émotions liées à la conscience du corps sont susceptibles d’omettre un facteur clé de l’état de santé autoévalué.

Keywords: body mass index; body pride; body shame; health; self-conscious emotions; weight; young adults.

Plain language summary

The weight-normative approach to health assumes that body weight is a stand-alone indicator of health. We assessed whether body-related self-conscious emotions are independently associated with self-rated health and mental health in young adults. Both females and males who reported greater body shame and lower body authentic pride perceived their health and mental health more negatively, even after adjusting for body mass index (BMI). The findings underscore the importance of considering psychosocial contributors to self-rated health, in addition to physical attributes such as BMI. Interventions that focus on weight to the exclusion of body-related self-conscious emotions may sidestep a key contributor to self-rated health and mental health.

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Conflict of interest statement

None to declare.

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