Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2009 Jun;6(3):164-70.
doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2009.05.001. Epub 2009 May 23.

Body checking behaviors in men

D Catherine Walker  1 , Drew A Anderson, Thomas Hildebrandt
Affiliations

Body checking behaviors in men

D Catherine Walker et al. Body Image. 2009 Jun.

Abstract

Males have been facing increasing pressure from the media to attain a lean, muscular physique, and are at risk for body dissatisfaction, disturbed eating and exercise behaviors, and abuse of appearance- and performance-enhancing drugs (APEDs). The aim of the current study was to examine the relationship between body checking and mood, symptoms of muscle dysmorphia, importance of shape and weight, and APED use in undergraduate males. Body checking in males was correlated with weight and shape concern, symptoms of muscle dysmorphia, depression, negative affect, and APED use. Body checking predicted APED use and uniquely accounted for the largest amount of variance in Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder Inventory (MDDI) scores (16%). Findings support the view that body checking is an important construct in male body image, muscle dysmorphia, and body change strategies and suggest a need for further research.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 4th, text revision. Washington, DC: Author; 2000.
    1. Anderson DA, De Young KP, Walker DC. The assessment of eating disordered thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. In: Allison DB, editor. Handbook of assessment measures for eating behaviors and weight-related problems: Measures, theory, and research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage; in press.
    1. Beck AT, Steer RA, Brown GK. Manual for the beck depression inventory. 2nd. Harcourt Brace & Co; San Antonio, TX: 1996.
    1. Cafri G, Thompson JK, Ricciardelli L, McCabe M, Smolak L, Yesalis C. Pursuit of the muscular ideal: Physical and psychological consequences and putative risk factors. Clinical Psychology Review. 2005;25:215–239. - PubMed
    1. Cafri G, van den Berg P, Thompson JK. Pursuit of muscularity in adolescent boys: Relations among biopsychosocial variables and clinical outcomes. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. 2006;35:283–291. - PubMed