The Role of Body Appreciation in Women's Perceived Physical and Mental Health Statuses

Background and Purpose:  Although the majority of body image research is characterized by deficit-based measures and conceptualizations, a growing body of evidence on the positive construction of body image is found across outcomes related to quality of life, mental health, and physical health. Prior research indicates a relationship between negative constructions of body image and subjective physical and mental health; this study is the first known study to investigate the relationship between body appreciation, a measure of positive body image, and perceived physical and mental health.  Given that age is negatively related to the physical health component of perceived physical and mental health, positively related to the mental health component, and positively related to body appreciation, we hypothesized age would moderate the relationship between body appreciation and the physical and mental health components of perceived physical and mental health.

Methods:  The current analysis is part of a larger mixed-methods study that explored body image and sexuality among 474 primarily White adult women living in the U.S.  Participants completed three online, cross-sectional surveys and a daily diary.  A sub-sample of 282 women (M age = 30.59) who completed the body appreciation scale (BAS), weight, and height questions were included in this analysis.  The outcome variable, perceived physical and mental health status, was assessed via the Physical Composite Scale (PCS) and Mental Composite Scale (MCS) scores of the SF-12 Health Survey. Using SPSS, the independent variable (BAS), covariates (Body Mass Index [BMI], socioeconomic status [SES], age), and the outcome variables (PCS and MCS) were entered into two linear regression models with the interaction term (BAS x age) entered in a second, sequential step.

Results:  Body appreciation, BMI, SES, and age were not significantly related to PCS score in block 1, however the addition of the interaction between BAS and age produced a statistically significant model (F[1,269] = 5.86, p = .016).  The relationship between BAS and PCS was negative for women 26-35 years of age (a decrease in BAS was associated with an increase in PCS); however, for women 36 years and older this relationship was positive.  In terms of MCS, BAS, BMI, SES, and age were significantly related (F[6,270] = 2.65, p = .016), and the addition of the interaction term did not explain a significant increase in variance.  Body appreciation was not significantly related to MCS (b = 0.84, β = .11, p = .067), but SES was (b = -2.65, β = -.23, p = .014).

Conclusion and Implications:  For this sample of women, age moderated the relationship between body appreciation and perceived physical health, but not body appreciation and perceived mental health. Interventions aimed at improving body appreciation may positively influence perceived physical health for women 36 years of age and older, a group often left out of traditional research studies that focus on either college-age women or women experiencing menopause.  As individuals tend to experience a decrease in perceived physical health as they age, higher body appreciation may serve as a protective factor and improve women’s well-being.