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Background <p>Body dissatisfaction is common among adolescents. Research has explored the relationship between eating behaviors and body dissatisfaction via body mass index (BMI); however, BMI fails to distinguish between muscle mass and fat mass. Dissatisfaction with body weight tends to have one direction, namely, dissatisfaction due to excessive body fat; conversely, dissatisfaction with muscle may have multiple directions. Previous studies have not sufficiently explored muscle-oriented dissatisfaction. Therefore, this study used structural equation modeling to examine the relationships between muscle- and body fat-oriented eating behaviors and negative body talk.</p> Methods <p>This study investigated 818 Chinese adolescents (age range: 17–20 years). We used structural equation modeling to explore the complex relationships among dietary behaviors, body fat percentage, muscle mass, and negative body talk. Moreover, we divided the population into groups on the basis of body fat, muscle mass, and sex. We performed multiple linear regressions with various combinations of BMI fractions.</p> Results <p>Restrictive eating was positively correlated with negative muscle talk (β = 0.12) and negative fat talk (β = 0.35). Muscle percentage mediated the relationship between restrictive eating and negative muscle talk, while body fat percentage mediated the relationship between restrictive eating and negative fat talk. Body fat-oriented restrictive eating behaviors occurred among participants with normal weight and low body fat, whereas muscle-oriented restrictive eating behaviors occurred among participants with normal weight and high muscle mass. Both of these behaviors are associated with negative body talk.</p> Conclusion <p>Negative muscle talk was directional. Women exhibited more restrictive eating behaviors and negative body talk than men did, which may be associated with psychological factors. The findings highlight the relationships between muscle- and body fat-oriented eating behaviors and negative body talk, with the aim of reducing body dissatisfaction and negative body talk among Chinese adolescents.</p>

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The relationship between muscle- and body fat-oriented eating behaviors and negative body talk among adolescents in China

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月29日

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  • Zhimin Yi,
  • Guifang Su,
  • Ying Wang,
  • Xu Chen,
  • Chunmei Wu,
  • Ming Hao

摘要

Background

Body dissatisfaction is common among adolescents. Research has explored the relationship between eating behaviors and body dissatisfaction via body mass index (BMI); however, BMI fails to distinguish between muscle mass and fat mass. Dissatisfaction with body weight tends to have one direction, namely, dissatisfaction due to excessive body fat; conversely, dissatisfaction with muscle may have multiple directions. Previous studies have not sufficiently explored muscle-oriented dissatisfaction. Therefore, this study used structural equation modeling to examine the relationships between muscle- and body fat-oriented eating behaviors and negative body talk.

Methods

This study investigated 818 Chinese adolescents (age range: 17–20 years). We used structural equation modeling to explore the complex relationships among dietary behaviors, body fat percentage, muscle mass, and negative body talk. Moreover, we divided the population into groups on the basis of body fat, muscle mass, and sex. We performed multiple linear regressions with various combinations of BMI fractions.

Results

Restrictive eating was positively correlated with negative muscle talk (β = 0.12) and negative fat talk (β = 0.35). Muscle percentage mediated the relationship between restrictive eating and negative muscle talk, while body fat percentage mediated the relationship between restrictive eating and negative fat talk. Body fat-oriented restrictive eating behaviors occurred among participants with normal weight and low body fat, whereas muscle-oriented restrictive eating behaviors occurred among participants with normal weight and high muscle mass. Both of these behaviors are associated with negative body talk.

Conclusion

Negative muscle talk was directional. Women exhibited more restrictive eating behaviors and negative body talk than men did, which may be associated with psychological factors. The findings highlight the relationships between muscle- and body fat-oriented eating behaviors and negative body talk, with the aim of reducing body dissatisfaction and negative body talk among Chinese adolescents.