Body image, physical activity, and viewing patterns of physique images among women

Exposure to media images of thin-ideal female physiques is linked to numerous maladaptive psychosocial outcomes, yet factors associated with propensity for media exposure have not been identified. This study examined the gaze patterns of women who were implicitly exposed to images of thin-ideal and average weight female models, and to test if behavioural (physical activity) and personal (body image and affect) factors differentiate viewing patterns. Healthy weight females (N=32) completed a computer-based experiment and self-report questionnaires on affect, perceptions, and behaviour. In the laboratory, one calendar depicting a thin-ideal female model and another depicting an average-weight female model were placed on either side of the participant. Unknown to participants, cameras recorded their gaze behaviour. The number of looks at each image was analyzed. A MANCOVA controlling for ethnicity and propensity for social comparison revealed that physically active women gazed at the average-weight image relatively more than at the ideal image, whereas inactive women did the opposite (physical activity x image interaction, F(1,28)=4.36, p Acknowledgments: Funding for this study was provided by a Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education Internal Grant