Relationships Between Body Image and Mental Health in White, Cisgender College Students

Purpose Previous studies have suggested that drive for leanness (DL) may be less maladaptive than drive for thinness (DT) or drive for muscularity (DM). However, no studies have examined whether there might be gender differences in the relationships between these three drives and mental health variables. The purpose of this study was twofold. First, we wanted to examine DL in the context of mental health and to see if it is less maladaptive than DT and DM. Second, we wanted to examine gender differences in the relationships between body dissatisfaction (DT, DM, DL) and mental health in a sample of college students. Methods A sample of 988 White, heterosexual, cisgender college students (76.8% female) completed an omnibus survey measuring body image (DL, DT, DM) and mental health (generalized anxiety, social physique anxiety, self-esteem) variables. Regression analyses evaluated associations between these drives and mental health variables. Results DT predicted all three mental health outcomes in both men and women. DM predicted generalized and social physique anxiety in women but only generalized anxiety in men. DL predicted social physique anxiety only in women. Conclusion Because we found gender differences in body image and relationships between body image and mental health, future studies should take gender into account when exploring body image and related variables. Level of Evidence V Cross-sectional descriptive study.