A divatipar egészségvédelmi szabályozása

Összefoglaló. A divatiparra vonatkozó egészségvédelmi szabályozások hiányosak. A karcsúság elérését célzó szociokulturális nyomás a divatiparon belül fokozott, a divatmodelleket gyakran késztetik kórosan alacsony testsúly elérésére, ami pszichológiai abúzusnak felel meg. Ezért a modellek közt az evészavarok prevalenciája magasabb az átlagpopulációhoz képest. A divatvilág veszélyei között ezeken túl a szexuális abúzus, a financiális visszaélések, illetve a fiatalkorúak foglalkoztatásával kapcsolatos szabályozatlanság említendő. A kockázatok csökkentése érdekében fontos volna nemzetközi szabályozásokat bevezetni a divatszakmában. Az erre irányuló kezdeményezések először 2006-ban jelentek meg Spanyolországban: a modellek foglalkoztatásának feltétele volt az egészséges tápláltsági állapot alsó határától minimálisan elmaradó testtömegindex (18,0) elérése. Később Franciaországban az evészavarok gyakoriságának mérséklésére törvénybe foglalták a modellek kötelező egészségügyi vizsgálatát, illetve az utólagosan módosított divatfotók megjelölését. E szabályozások azonban könnyen kijátszhatók. A törvényhozás mellett különböző szervezetek alkottak olyan irányelveket, amelyek a modellek egészségvédelmét szolgálták. Ezek az iránymutatások elsősorban a biztonságos munkavégzésre, a fiatalkorúak foglalkoztatásának korlátozására és az emberi méltóság megtartására irányulnak. A divatszakmában előforduló feszültségek vezettek továbbá olyan nonprofit szervezetek megalakulásához, amelyek a modellek érdekvédelméért dolgoznak. A divatmodellek egészségvédelmét célzó jogi szabályozás a mai kultúrában domináns karcsúságideál megváltoztatását is szolgálná, mert a szociális tanulás révén a divatot követő átlagnépesség utánozza a modelleket. A divatmodellek egészségének védelme tehát népegészségügyi vonatkozással is bír. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(23): 905–910. Summary. The fashion industry is lacking sufficient health protective regulations. There is an increased sociocultural pressure to be thin. Fashion models are often forced to reach abnormally low body weight, which can be regarded as psychological abuse. This leads to a higher prevalence of eating disorders among models compared with the general population. Some of the other dangers associated with the fashion industry are sexual harassment, financial exploitation, and unregulated minor labour force. To reduce these risks, it is crucial to introduce international regulations in the fashion industry. The first initiative for such regulations took place in Spain in 2006 when the condition for models’ employment was for their body mass index (BMI) not to drop below 18.0, which is close to the low end of healthy BMI. Later in France, to decrease the prevalence of eating disorders, a legislation on compulsory medical examination for models was made. Also, retouching of photos had to be disclosed. Regulations like these, however, can easily be eluded. Different organisations implemented guidelines, such as establishing safe working conditions, limiting underage labour force, and maintaining dignity to protect models’ health. Tension within the fashion industry led to the formation of non-profit organisations seeking the protection of models’ interest. Regulations protecting models’ health in the fashion industry would encourage society to adjust its predominant ideal for thinness. Just as the general population tends to follow fashion trends portrayed by fashion models, so would they likely imitate the new look of models. Hence, the protection of models’ health goes beyond the fashion industry. It has public health implications as well. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(23): 905–910.

The role of personality traits, sociocultural factors, and body dissatisfaction in anorexia readiness syndrome in women

Background The mass media promote certain standards of physical attractiveness. The media coverage, in interaction with body dissatisfaction and personality traits, may intensify specified behaviors in women, that should help them to obtain an ideal body image, e.g., excessive concentration on body image, weight control, increase in physical activity. The intensification of these behaviors can develop anorexia readiness syndrome (ARS) in women. The paper presents a study on the role of the Five-Factor Model personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and intellect/openness), sociocultural factors (internalization, sociocultural pressure, information seeking), and body dissatisfaction in anorexia readiness syndrome. Methods The study involved 1533 Polish women aged 18–36 (M = 22.51, SD = 2.41). The participants completed the online version of the set of questionnaires. The link to the study was shared in social media groups. Personality dimensions were measured with the BFI, sociocultural factors were evaluated by means of the SATAQ-3, the degree of body dissatisfaction was assessed with the BIQ, while ARS was measured using five self-reported items referring to specific behaviors from TIAE. Results Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed internalization, sociocultural pressure, and body dissatisfaction as significant predictors of ARS. While neuroticism was correlated with ARS, it lost its predictive value after entering body dissatisfaction in the regression model. Conclusions The factors associated with ARS were (1) neuroticism among personality traits, (2) internalization and pressure from sociocultural norms among sociocultural attitudes, and (3) body dissatisfaction. The key finding is the absence of statistical significance for neuroticism in predicting ARS after including body dissatisfaction. In future research, the group of men and patients with anorexia nervosa can be included, and the age range can be extended to include younger people. The catalog of potential ARS predictors may be expanded, which can help to explain the role of neuroticism in ARS.

Fitness Blogging as a New Social Practice and Its Implications for Young Women’s Mental Health

Fitness blogging and fitness marathons are becoming a popular social practice, especially among young women. Although these practices are claimed to provide health benefits, in reality they pose serious risks to the participants’ mental wellbeing. The paper focuses on a study aimed at the analysis of the level and factors of mental distress in female fitness blog subscribers, and the dynamics of their emotional wellbeing in the course of fitness marathons. A total of 112 women aged 18 to 35 years old, with a mean age of 23.5 (SD=4.7), participated in the study. All the respondents were Instagram fitness blog subscribers. The following methods were used in the study: Physical perfectionism scale [8]; Situational Inventory of Body-Im- age Dysphoria [14]; Perceived sociocultural pressure scale [3]; Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale [9]; Beck’s Depression Inventory [17]; N.G. Garanyan and A.B. Kholmogorova’s Three-Factor Perfectionism Questionnaire [1]. Received data testify that young women who spent on Instagram over 60 minutes a day differed from those who spent maximum 30 minutes online by significantly higher levels of excessive body standards and body dissatisfaction, and a greater severity of emotional maladjustment symptoms, including suicidal tendencies. The regression analysis showed that physical and general perfectionism as well as social anxiety and depression symptoms had the most significant effect on an increase in body dissatisfaction levels. After completion of a fitness marathon, women had significant increases in body dissatisfaction and emotional problems. Further research is needed to identify targets that would help to prevent the emotional maladjustment which occur as a result of young women’s engagement in fitness blogging.

Sociocultural pressure: a model of body dissatisfaction for young women

The aim of the study was to verify the influence of pressure from sociocultural agents on dissatisfaction with face and body in young women mediated by the internalization of the lean and muscular body and to identify the contribution of individual characteristics to this model. A total of 612 university female students participated of study. The students completed the Portuguese versions of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-4 and of the Body Area Scale-Revised and a sociodemographic questionnaire. A hypothetical model was constructed using structural equation modeling to test the relationship between the variables. The model fit and the significance of the hypothetical paths were verified. The results provide evidence that the greater the pressure of sociocultural agents and the internalization of the lean body, the more women were dissatisfied with body and face appearance. The media contributed to a greater internalization of the muscular body, which reduced the body dissatisfaction. The practice of physical activity and a higher economic level contributed to a greater internalization of the muscular body, which reduced body dissatisfaction. A higher economic level also influenced the internalization of the lean body and increased the dissatisfaction with face and body. A higher body mass index contributed to a greater pressure from sociocultural agents, greater internalization of the lean body, and greater dissatisfaction with body and face. The relationships identified in the model can contribute to the development of strategies aimed at reducing body dissatisfaction and eating disorders in the population, such as body acceptance.

Malaysian AIDS Council: The “PutItOn” Campaign

This case illustrates the issues pertaining to the “PutItOn” campaign promotion launched by the Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC). This case primarily discusses the social marketing challenges encountered by MAC with the task to promote intervention programs on condom use and women’s safe sex practices to influence social change. However, promoting condom use is regarded as taboo and is not allowed to be mentioned in Malaysian mainstream mass media because of restrictions by the Communications and Multimedia Act. The government also cannot openly advocate condom use because of sociocultural sensitivity. In addition, some people might misinterpret promoting condom use as encouraging promiscuity. On the other hand, official statistics show that new HIV cases have shifted the trend from men to women in recent years, and the major factor for women infected by HIV was through sexual transmission. Dr. Suzi, communication manager of MAC, is in charge of the “PutItOn” campaign. She faced difficulty in increasing awareness among women about the campaign with the consideration of social and cultural issues. The campaign was launched in December 2014, but not many people seemed aware of this campaign after four months of its launch. The chairman of MAF, Dr. Roselina, advised her to come up with an effective promotional strategy for the “PutItOn” campaign by April. Dr. Suzi had only one month to devise a plan to solve the problem; otherwise, MAC has to close the campaign. Dr. Suzi was worried about the sociocultural pressure to promote the “PutItOn” campaign.

Embracing Education and Contesting Americanization: A Reexamination of Native Hawaiian Student Engagement in Territorial Hawai‘i’s Public Schools, 1920–1940

This article explores the efforts of Native Hawaiian students to appropriate and take control of their schooling as part of a broad Indigenous story of empowerment during Hawai‘i’s territorial years (1900–1959). Histories of this era lack a visible Indigenous presence and contribute to the myth that Natives passively accepted the Americanization of the islands. This article challenges this myth by examining Native student writings to tell a story of Native involvement in education as a pragmatic strategy designed to advance distinctly Indigenous interests through the American education system. These stories reveal schools as complex sites of negotiation where Native students regularly navigated sociocultural pressure from their friends, parents, teachers, and America's growing presence in the islands while testing and exploring their own identities.

Stress in Eating Disorders and Obesity

Stress has long been implicated in the development and maintenance of both eating disorders and obesity. In this chapter, evidence for the most commonly implicated putative stressors, as culled from cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, is reviewed within the framework of the diathesis-stress model. These stressors include childhood maltreatment and sexual violation; military combat and military sexual violation; traumatic stress, injury, and illness; occupational stress; sociocultural pressure to be thin; and negative appearance-related feedback. Constructs that may mediate or moderate pathways from stressors to problematic eating are identified within the framework of the maladaptive coping model, wherein stress initiates a cascade of events potentially leading to disordered eating. Methodological challenges are identified and new directions based on recent analytic advances are proposed.