The aim of this study is to explore diverse characteristics of females aged 25 to 49 years grouped according to Body Mass Index(BMI), and to investigate the effect of body satisfaction and self-esteem on involvement in dieting within each BMI group. In total, 549 females who participated in an online survey were divided into groups based on BMI(underweight, normal, and overweight). Results demonstrated three key factors, as follows. First, differences were identified among BMI groups according to demographic characteristics(age, household income, and marital status), although no difference according to education level was found. Second, differences according to BMI groups were found in body satisfaction and involvement in dieting, whereas were not found in self-esteem. Third, model testing for each BMI group showed, a positive correlation between body satisfaction and self-esteem in all three groups. However, there was a difference in causal relationships among variable across BMI groups. Body satisfaction negatively affected and self-esteem positively affected involvement in dieting for the underweight and normal groups, whereas there was no causal relationship between variables in the overweight group. Based on these results, basic information of groups segmented by the level of BMI was obtained, which could be used for both academic and practical implications.

The study aims to investigate the effects of media and self-image congruity of ideal body image on the dieting and exercising behaviors of Korean and U.S. female college students. This study focuses on the concept of self-image congruity in order to examine how respondents perceive actual and desired self-images compared to an ideal female body image selected by respondents. A self-administered survey was conducted, resulting in 331 total responses (194 from Korean students and 137 from U.S. students). The data were analyzed through descriptive analysis, t-test, exploratory factor analysis, and regression analysis using SPSS 23.0. The findings revealed significant differences between Korean and U.S. female college students. U.S. students were more exposed to body image ideals in the media than Korean students; however, Korean female students valued the information regarding ideal body image conveyed by the media more than U.S. respondents. Among Korean female students, exposure to media messages regarding ideal body image and media importance had significant effects on desired self-image congruity, while these factors were not significant among U.S. students. However, there was a negative effect of media exposure on actual self-image congruity among U.S. respondents only. Additionally, the study uncovered that Korean students manage their body image through dieting behaviors while U.S. respondents manage body image through exercise behaviors (weight training as well as cardiovascular exercise). The study provides further support for self-image congruity, which extends its applications to the body image field.

Appearance management is a serious issue for adults and young people in Korean society. People of various ages have used diverse means to improve their appearances. This study focused on dieting as an appearance management behavior in female adolescents. Dieting behaviors are not just a means to improve appearance; they may also relate to individuals’ beliefs and self-control. The importance of individual psychological/ personality factors cannot, therefore, be ruled out. Such factors can help explain personality factors explain “what causes a compulsive diet and what factors can alleviate it”. This study reviewed the literature on perfectionism and self-control as individual personality factors, and empirically examined the effects of these variables on perceived body distortion and dieting behaviors. We performed a structural equation model analysis to verify our hypothesis. The results are as follows: we found perfectionism to be positively related to perceived body distortion and dieting behaviors; we also found self-control to be negatively related to perceived body distortion though unrelated to dieting behaviors; finally, our analysis identified a relationship between perceived body distortion and dieting behaviors. These results indicate that perfectionism and self-control should be considered when conducting guidance and counseling sessions on issues related to dieting behaviors for adolescent’ appearance management. This paper concludes by discussing the study’s implications and limitations.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the fad dieting status and needs of nutrition education on healthy dieting in male and female collegians according to the desired loss weight. The subjects were 611 students (287 males, 324 females) from universities in Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces in Korea. The subjects were divided into the following four groups based on the difference between their current body weight and their desired body weight: no desired weight loss (WL0), desired weight loss less than 5 kg (WL5), desired weight loss 6 to 10 kg (WL10), and desired weight loss more than 11 kg (WL11). The fad dieting status was surveyed using a questionnaire about 11 selected trendy dieting methods. The higher desired weight loss group showed higher current weight and BMI in both males and females. Self weight overestimation was higher in the females than in the males, and in the WL10 group than in the other groups of males. As desired loss weight increased, weight loss trials and experienced trendy dieting types increased in both males and females. In the male subjects, the experience of the half meal diet and the chicken breast diet was significantly associated with the desired loss weight. In females, trials of more trendy diet types including the half meal diet, cereal diet, fasting, and Atkins diet were significantly associated with the higher desired loss weight. The need for nutrition education on healthy dieting was high among all the different desired weight loss groups, showing that a minimum of 60% of subjects in each group answered ‘necessary and strongly necessary’, with the highest in the WL11 group in both males and females. From these results, desired loss weight is associated with higher current weight status, unhealthy weight control practices, and needs for nutrition education in both male and female subjects. Therefore, in the future, nutrition education programs should give greater attention to providing healthy dieting methods for young collegians who desire more weight loss.

Considerable research in dieting has examined the goal priming effect that promotes successful dieting. However, priming literature found that the process of which priming is led to behaviors involves not only the priming construct itself but the momentary self-concept activated by the priming. Based on this notion, studies examined whether the active self-concept as an “unsuccessful dieter” or “successful dieter” determines the priming-to-behavior effect in dieting. Study 1 used contexts of the prime as manipulation for participants’ active-self following the prime and measured their chronic self-concept in dieting (rated on the Perceived Self-Regulation Success [PSRS] in dieting scale) as a moderator. The result supported the active-self account for the effect of the dieting prime. The interaction of the PSRS scores and the priming contexts was found in the dieting behavior of participants. Participants whose chronic self-concept in dieting is unsuccessful (the low PSRS) showed the goal-congruent priming effect only in the condition where the priming context reminded them of their self-concept in favor of dieting success. In the context where their dieting failure in the past became salient, however, the participants with the low PSRS were more likely to succumb to tempting food. In contrast, eating behaviors of the high PSRS participants were independent of the contexts. Study 2 tested a possible mechanism from the active-self to the behaviors. It is concluded that the active-self operates in the priming process by influencing anticipatory thoughts rather than automatic responses toward foods. The implications for understanding repeated dieting failures and designing practical interventions to help dieters are discussed.