Gut feelings help promote positive body image

Study finds association between feeling full and positive body image

July 30, 2020

Science Daily/Anglia Ruskin University

New research has found that paying greater attention to internal bodily sensations can increase our appreciation of our own bodies.

The study, led by Jennifer Todd of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and published in the journal Body Image, focused on gastric interoception, which are the feelings of hunger or fullness that originate in the gut.

The researchers carried out an experiment involving 191 adults in the UK and Malaysia fasting and then consuming water.

They measured both the quantity of water consumed in relation to stomach capacity, and the feelings and experiences of the adults during the task. This included completing questionnaires examining different aspects of body image, such as appreciation of the body and appreciation of the body's functionality.

Body image refers to appearance-related thoughts and feelings, and positive body image refers specifically to an active love, respect, and appreciation for one's body.

The study found that a greater change in the intensity of feelings in the gut after consuming water was associated with significantly higher levels of appreciation of the body and appreciation of the body's functionality for adults in both the UK and Malaysia.

Lead author Jennifer Todd, a Psychology PhD student at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), said: "Our study shows a clear link between bodily awareness, in this case the feeling of fullness, and body image. In other words, people who are more in tune with their body's internal workings have a greater appreciation of their body in general. Interestingly, we found that this link exists in two very different countries.

"We think that greater sensitivity to gastric signals might increase awareness of the positive functions the body performs and improve the ability to respond to the body's needs, both of which promote positive body image.

"Individuals who are less in tune with internal stimuli, such as feeling full, could be more at risk of developing negative body image, due to an over-reliance on external, appearance-related characteristics such as shape and size.

"It is possible that body image can be promoted by encouraging people to be more aware of internal sensations, such as feeling full. Gut feelings can be good for you!"

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200730205826.htm

Thoughts on body image in pregnancy important indicator of emotional wellbeing

May 23, 2019

Science Daily/University of York

Researchers have shown that a new way of assessing women's relationship with their bodies during pregnancy could help predict how well the mother might bond with her unborn baby and her longer-term emotional wellbeing.

Results from the study suggest that introducing a standardised method of assessing women's feelings towards their changing bodies during antenatal care could provide important information on how they might respond to being a new mum.

The BUMPS method, developed by scientists at the University of York and Anglia Ruskin University, is a self-reporting system based on questions relating to satisfaction with appearing pregnant, weight gain concerns, and the physical burdens of pregnancy.

In a study of more than 600 pregnant women, data from the BUMPS questionnaire revealed that women who felt more positively about their body changes in pregnancy were more likely to have better relationships with their partners; lower depression and anxiety scores; and were better at interpreting their bodily signals.

Combined scores from the questionnaire provided a strong predictor of whether a pregnant woman would have a positive attachment to their unborn child or not. Low scores, suggested that these women may need additional emotional support during pregnancy and monitoring after birth for signs of postnatal depression.

Dr Catherine Preston, an expert in body image from the University of York's Department of Psychology, said: "Our previous research has demonstrated that there is a relationship between how we perceive our bodies and our emotional state, but bodily experience is not systematically considered during pregnancy even though it is a time when dramatic bodily changes occur.

"Women are under constant pressure about their appearance and during pregnancy and after birth is no exception. It is important therefore that pregnancy care is not just about the physical health of the mother and the health of the unborn child, but also about women's emotional wellbeing, which can give us a lot of important information about how they might react to being a new mum in the longer-term."

The questionnaire was taken at each trimester of pregnancy to understand how perceptions of the body might change through the different stages. Questions in the study range from the type of clothes that a woman decides to wear during pregnancy, to concerns about the size of their 'bump,' and any frustrations they might have at not being able to be as physically active as they once were.

Dr Preston said: "There is growing evidence that women's experience of their body during pregnancy can have a positive or negative impact on both maternal and infant wellbeing, so more should be done within our care systems to protect women against the more negative effects.

"There are many midwives who independently do a fantastic job of offering this support, but currently there is no standardised method or criteria for measuring this to inform the level of care required.

"Our next step in this work is define those boundaries -- what does a pregnant woman need to score in our scale in order to prompt further investigation or support? We are also interested to investigate whether we see variations in attitudes to body image in pregnancies of women from different cultural backgrounds and what impact this might have in post-natal care."

The team also plan to assess more women post-pregnancy to understand the longer-term impacts of negative and positive body image on both mother and child.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/05/190523104931.htm

Mindfulness could promote positive body image

Awareness of internal body signals can affect the way we see ourselves -- new study

February 28, 2019

Science Daily/Anglia Ruskin University

Making people more aware of their own internal body signals, such as heartbeat or breathing rate, could promote positive body image, according to new research.

Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University recruited a sample of 646 adults and found that there were statistically significant relationships between people's interoceptive awareness -- the extent to which people are aware of internal signals given out by the body such as heartbeat or feelings of discomfort or hunger -- and body image.

While previous studies on the subject have tended to recruit small groups of young women, this study included both men and women, aged between 18 and 76.

The study found that people who can sustain attention towards their internal body signals tended to report higher levels of positive body image. It was also found that people who trust their internal body signals are more likely to hold a positive view of their own body, and be less preoccupied with being overweight.

Lead author Jenny Todd said: "Unfortunately, experiences of negative body image are extremely common, to the extent that some academics consider this a 'normal' experience for women in Western society.

"Our research finds associations between the awareness of internal body signals and measures of body image. This could have implications for promoting positive body image, for example modifying interoceptive awareness through mindfulness-based practices.

"However the research, which was conducted with exclusively British participants, also demonstrates that the relationship between interoceptive awareness and body image is complex and requires further investigation."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/02/190228093638.htm