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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2021

Open Access 01-12-2021 | Public Health | Research article

Body image perception, smoking, alcohol use, indoor tanning, and disordered eating in young and middle-aged adults: findings from a large population-based Swedish study

Authors: Mattias Strand, Peeter Fredlund, Cecilia Boldemann, Anton Lager

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2021

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Abstract

Background

Body image concerns may give rise to a multitude of risk behaviors, such as unhealthy weight control practices, disordered eating behaviors (e.g., compensatory purging or preoccupation with food), smoking, excessive alcohol intake, or sunbed use. However, the distribution of these risk behaviors across adulthood has rarely been studied.

Methods

The aim of this study was to explore health risk behaviors as correlates of body image perception in a randomly selected study population of 30,245 individuals aged 30–66 in Stockholm, Sweden, utilizing data from the Stockholm Public Health Cohort. Bivariate correlations were explored and a hierarchic binary logistic regression analysis was performed.

Results

The prevalence of body image discrepancy was higher among smokers and respondents displaying disordered eating behaviors. In contrast, alcohol and sunbed use were inversely correlated to body image discrepancy. Body mass index was the substantially strongest explanatory factor behind the observed variance in body image discrepancy, followed by loss-of-control eating. Notably, no major gender differences in body image perception were detected. Some unexpected patterns of association between variables other than body image perception, such as those between smoking, alcohol use, and sunbed use, were seen.

Conclusions

Overall, the patterns differ substantially from what has previously been found in adolescent and young adult samples, indicating that the synergy and aggregation of risk behaviors observed among younger individuals may not apply to adults aged 30–66.
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Metadata
Title
Body image perception, smoking, alcohol use, indoor tanning, and disordered eating in young and middle-aged adults: findings from a large population-based Swedish study
Authors
Mattias Strand
Peeter Fredlund
Cecilia Boldemann
Anton Lager
Publication date
01-12-2021
Publisher
BioMed Central
Keyword
Public Health
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10158-4

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