Research article summary (published 18 Aug 2009):

The effects of TV commercials using less thin models on young women's mood, body image and actual food intake.

Full Abstract

This study experimentally tested the effects of exposure to television commercials using less thin models on mood, body focused anxiety and food intake, as compared to the effects of commercials using thin models. In a naturalistic setting, 110 young women were exposed to a neutral movie, interrupted by two commercial breaks. The commercial breaks contained real commercials using either less thin (n=32) or thin models (n=39), or neutral commercials (n=39). During watching television, participants could freely eat snack food. Further, their mood and body focused anxiety was assessed. ANOVAs revealed no effects on body focused anxiety, but women reported a more negative mood and ate less after exposure to commercials using less thin models than after exposure to commercials using thin models. These results imply that using less thin models in commercials explicitly referring to the thin ideal does not make women feel better.

Author information

Author/s: Anschutz, Doeschka J (DJ); Engels, Rutger C M E (RC); Becker, Eni S (ES); Van Strien, Tatjana (T);

Affiliation: Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. anschutz(-atsign-)pwo.ru.nl

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Body image (Body Image), published in Netherlands. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Sep; vol 6 (issue 4) : pp 270-6

Dates: Created 2009/09/07; Completed 2009/10/20;

PMID: 19699160, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 10/20/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Advertising as Topic Affect Anxiety Body Image Eating - physiology; psychology Female Humans

Humans Imitative Behavior Questionnaires Students - psychology Television Thinness - psychology Young Adult

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