A Biopsychosocial Model of Dietary Restraint in Early Adolescent Boys

Abstract

The current study replicated and extended previous research on disordered eating and dietary intent (i.e., self-reported restriction of caloric intake with the purpose of losing weight) in boys and men by examining the direct and indirect influence of sociocultural pressure, social body comparisons, internalization of societal appearance ideals, body dissatisfaction, self-esteem, body composition, and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) on dietary restraint. Participants were 681 boys ([Formula: see text] age = 12.49 years, SD = 0.99) from six middle schools located in the south central United States. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), 32% to 35% of the Dietary Restraint variance was explained across two independent samples. Pressures to lose weight and diet predicted all the psychosocial outcomes, whereas higher levels of (CRF) predicted higher levels of body satisfaction and self-esteem and lower body mass indices (BMIs), which predicted lower dietary restraint. The results from this study support a multifactorial approach to understanding boys’ dietary behaviors.