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Watching My Weight: Self-Weighing, Body Surveillance, and Body Dissatisfaction

Sex Roles volume 65, pages 47–55 (2011)Cite this article

Abstract

Understanding of the benefits of self-weighing are currently mixed, particularly with respect to women’s psychological health. Applying Objectification theory (Fredrickson and Roberts 1997), we explored the role of body surveillance as a mechanism in the link between self-weighing, a common weight management technique, and body dissatisfaction. The study was cross-sectional and the sample included primarily Caucasian, US college students from the Northeast (N = 145). Participants completed measures of self-weighing, body surveillance, and body dissatisfaction. We predicted that body surveillance would mediate the positive relation between self-weighing and body dissatisfaction. Results supported our prediction; however additional work is necessary to clarify the potential negative effects of self-weighing on women’s body image.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Boston University, 85 East Newton Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA

    Andrea Mercurio

  2. Psychology Department, Hampton University, Hampton, VA, USA

    Brandi Rima

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  1. Andrea Mercurio
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  2. Brandi Rima
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Correspondence to Andrea Mercurio.

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Mercurio, A., Rima, B. Watching My Weight: Self-Weighing, Body Surveillance, and Body Dissatisfaction. Sex Roles 65, 47–55 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-011-9980-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-011-9980-x

Keywords

  • Body surveillance
  • Body dissatisfaction
  • Self-weighing
  • Women