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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Psychol.
Sec. Eating Behavior
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1458259
This article is part of the Research Topic Eating Disorders and Eating Disorder Awareness View all articles

Research on the Influence of Body Image on College Students' Weight-Loss Intention: Chained Intermediary Analysis of Self-Efficacy and Self-Esteem

Provisionally accepted
Yiyi Ouyang Yiyi Ouyang 1,2Xue Xiong Xue Xiong 2*Jiong Luo Jiong Luo 3Yanhui Zhang Yanhui Zhang 2*
  • 1 Chengdu Sport University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
  • 2 Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, China
  • 3 Southwest University, Chongqing, Chongqing Municipality, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    This paper aims to explore the relationship between body image, self-efficacy, self-esteem, and weight-loss intention among college students, offering insights to promote healthy and confident lifestyle habits. Methods: Undergraduate students from western China were selected using a stratified random sampling method. Data were analyzed using SPSS 19.0 and AMOS 21.0 statistical software. Results: (1) Body image showed a significantly positive correlation with self-efficacy and self-esteem but a negative correlation with weight-loss intention.Self-efficacy exhibited a significantly positive correlation with self-esteem and a negative correlation with weight-loss intention, while self-esteem was significantly negatively correlated with weight-loss intention. (2) Body image directly impacted weight-loss intention (Effect Size (ES) = -0.120). Self-efficacy (ES = -0.069) and self-esteem (ES = -0.119) played significant mediating roles between body image and weight-loss intention, respectively. (3) The chained intermediary role of self-efficacy and self-esteem also reached significance (ES = -0.038).Body image conducts effect on the degree of weight-loss intention among college students through direct ways or indirect ways such as the intermediary role of self-efficacy and self-esteem, and also the chained intermediary role of self-efficacy and self-esteem. In addition, self-esteem is another key factors affecting college students' weight-loss intention.

    Keywords: body image, self-efficacy, self-esteem, Weight-loss intention, intermediary effect

    Received: 02 Jul 2024; Accepted: 07 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Ouyang, Xiong, Luo and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Xue Xiong, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, China
    Yanhui Zhang, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, China

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