Exploring ethnicity in body dissatisfaction_v6
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Presentations of body dissatisfaction and implications for prevention efforts: an exploratory study with Bangladeshi adolescent girls
IRAS ID
275207
Contact name
Hannah K Lewis
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Queen Mary, University of London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
n/a, n/a
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 5 months, 18 days
Research summary
Body dissatisfaction is a major public health concern, with outcomes including body dysmorphia and eating pathology (Bucchianeri and Neumark-Szteiner. 2014). Therefore, upstream prevention strategies – such as school-based interventions – need to be prioritised to stop body image related mental illnesses from emerging.
However, the relationship between ethnicity and body dissatisfaction needs further research, particularly when it comes to early intervention and prevention programs for body image concerns (Lunner et al, 2000). Certain considerations, such as beauty standards from the West and the role of religion, have been identified as prominent factors which impact body dissatisfaction and warrant further research (Đurović, Tiosavljević, and Šabanović, 2016).
The PSHE Association also reports that teachers are concerned about the rise in negative body image amongst BAME adolescent girls in particular, yet there are very few resources which address this issue and there is no guidance on how best to support these pupils specifically (PSHE Association, 2015).This study aims to contribute towards the gap in the literature by exploring the role of ethnicity in presentations of eating disorders among Bangladeshi adolescent girls, and compare these findings with the current approaches used in school-based interventions.
REC name
South West - Frenchay Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/SW/0055
Date of REC Opinion
11 Jun 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion