Body Image among Girls in Indonesia: Associations with Disordered Eating Behaviors, Life Engagement, Desire for Cosmetic Surgery and Psychosocial Influences

Abstract

Body image is an important risk factor for mental and physical health during adolescence. Nonetheless, few studies have empirically investigated body image among girls in Southeast Asia. This cross-sectional study examined the prevalence of body esteem (a holistic measure of body image assessing the degree of satisfaction with one’s appearance, weight, and shape), associated behavioral outcomes, and potential psychosocial influences on body image among Indonesian girls to inform future intervention efforts. Girls across Indonesia with internet access (N = 318, Mage = 13.59 years) completed a questionnaire that assessed body image, disordered eating behaviors, appearance-related life engagement, desire for cosmetic surgery, appearance ideal internalization, media literacy, appearance-related teasing, and self-esteem. The younger girls’ (10–13 years) responses were analyzed separately from those of the older girls (14–17 years). Over half of the girls did not have high body esteem. Approximately a quarter of the girls across both age groups reported restricting their food intake, emotionally eating, and/or engaging in excessive exercise, and over half desired cosmetic surgery. Disordered eating behaviors and a desire for cosmetic surgery were negatively correlated with body esteem. Hierarchical regression analyses found BMI, internalization, appearance-related teasing, and self-esteem were uniquely associated with body esteem among younger girls. Appearance-related teasing and self-esteem were positively associated with body esteem among older girls. These findings suggest body image interventions may be important for this population, with appearance-related teasing and self-esteem potentially useful targets for intervention efforts. Further prospective research to investigate these findings would be beneficial for a deeper understanding of body image risk factors for girls across Indonesia.