This cross-sectional study explored the link between household food insecurity and body dissatisfaction, focusing on whether individuals with food insecurity prefer larger bodies. We also examined whether sex or weight status moderated this relationship. A total of 185 participants (77 women) completed a survey assessing food security, general body dissatisfaction, and the direction of body dissatisfaction. Body mass index was calculated from self-reported height and weight. Results showed a positive association between food insecurity and general body dissatisfaction. A chi-square test indicated that food-secure adults tended to desire a smaller body, while food-insecure adults were more likely to prefer a larger body or maintain their current size. Sex and weight status did not significantly influence this relationship. These findings suggest that body size preferences vary with food security status and should be considered in interventions targeting food insecurity and body dissatisfaction.
AltmanEARitchieLDFrongilloEA, et al. (2019) Food insecurity is associated with body dissatisfaction among children in California. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics119(10): 1732–1737.
2.
BarnhartWRXiaoYLiY, et al. (2024) Beyond age, BMI, gender identity, and gender minority stress, weight bias internalization is uniquely associated with more eating and body image disturbances and poor physical and mental health in Chinese gender-diverse adults. International Journal of Eating Disorders57(11): 2246–2259.
3.
BlumbergSJBialostoskyKHamiltonWL, et al. (1999) The effectiveness of a short form of the household food security scale. American Journal of Public Health89(8): 1231–1234.
4.
BordoSHeywoodL (2020) Unbearable Weight. University of California Press.
5.
BourdieuP (1984) Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgment of Taste. Routledge & Kegan Paul.
6.
CalzoJPSonnevilleKRHainesJ, et al. (2012) The development of associations among body mass index, body dissatisfaction, and weight and shape concern in adolescent boys and girls. Journal of Adolescent Health51(5): 517–523.
7.
CassidyCM (1991) The good body: When big is better. Medical Anthropology13(3): 181–213.
ConiglioMACommodariELaganàP (2020) Predictive factors for eating disorders in a cohort of Sicilian female students. Progress in Nutrition22(3):e2020043.
10.
DavisonKKHainesJGarciaEA, et al. (2020) Fathers’ food parenting: A scoping review of the literature from 1990 to 2019. Pediatric Obesity15(10).
11.
DrakoulidouPDraytonBShepherdL, et al. (2020) Sociodemographic factors associated with food insecurity: Data from the 2003-2014 New South Wales population health survey. Public Health Nutrition23(11): 1857–1867.
12.
EckKMQuickVByrd-BredbennerC (2022) Body dissatisfaction, eating styles, weight-related behaviors, and health among young women in the United States. Nutrients14(18): 3876.
13.
Fernández-BustosJGInfantes-PaniaguaÁGonzalez-MartíI, et al. (2019) Body dissatisfaction in adolescents: Differences by sex, BMI and type and organisation of physical activity. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health16(17): 3109.
14.
FiskeLFallonEABlissmerB, et al. (2014) Prevalence of body dissatisfaction among United States adults: Review and recommendations for future research. Eating Behaviors15(3): 357–365.
15.
FranklinBJonesALoveD, et al. (2012) Exploring mediators of food insecurity and obesity: A review of recent literature. Journal of Community Health37(1): 253–264.
16.
GarnerDMOlmsteadMPPolivyJ (1983) Development and validation of a multidimensional eating disorder inventory for anorexia nervosa and bulimia. International Journal of Eating Disorders2(2): 15–34.
17.
GrabeSHydeJ (2006) Ethnicity and body dissatisfaction among women in the United States: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin132(4): 622–640.
18.
GroganS (2021) Body Image: Understanding Body Dissatisfaction in Men, Women, and Children, 4th edn. Routledge. Available at: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781003100041 (accessed 31 January 2026).
19.
HarveyJARobinsonJD (2003) Eating disorders in men: Current considerations. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings10(4): 297–306.
20.
HazzardVMLothKAHooperL, et al. (2020) Food insecurity and eating disorders: A review of emerging evidence. Current Psychiatry Reports22(12): 74.
21.
HenryC (2005) Basal metabolic rate studies in humans: Measurement and development of new equations. Public Health Nutrition8(7a): 1133–1152.
22.
IhabARohanaAMananW (2015) Concept and measurements of household food insecurity and its impact on malnutrition: A review. International Medical Journal22(6): 509–516.
23.
JohnsonFWardleJ (2005) Dietary restraint, body dissatisfaction, and psychological distress: A prospective analysis. Journal of Abnormal Psychology114(1): 119–125.
24.
KhofiLMandersonLMoyerE (2025) Food insecurity, intimate partner violence, and barriers to sexual and reproductive health care among women in Lorentzville, South Africa. Social Science & Medicine369: 117785.
25.
KlosLASobalJ (2013) Marital status and body weight, weight perception, and weight management among U.S. adults. Eating Behaviors14(4): 500–507.
26.
KralTVEChittamsJMooreRH (2017) Relationship between food insecurity, child weight status, and parent-reported child eating and snacking behaviors. Journal for Specialists in Pediatric Nursing22(2): e12177.
27.
LamontASpeedD (2025) Food insecurity and body dissatisfaction in a sample of Canadian adults. Journal of Health Psychology30(2): 282–296.
28.
LeungDYChanACHoGW (2022) Resilience of emerging adults after adverse childhood experiences: A qualitative systematic review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse23(1): 163–181.
29.
LegendreMMorinJCuadradoJ, et al. (2024) Muscle dysmorphia from an addictive perspective: Validation of the addiction to body image inventory (ABII). L’Encéphale50(1): 20–25.
30.
LopezENDrobesDJThompsonJK, et al. (2008) Effects of a body image challenge on smoking motivation among college females. Health Psychology27(3): S243–S251.
31.
MaidaDArmstrongS (2005) The classification of muscle dysmorphia. International Journal of Men s Health4(1): 73–91.
32.
MorrisonTGMorrisonMAHopkinsC, et al. (2004) Muscle mania: Development of a new scale examining the drive for muscularity in Canadian males. Psychology of Men & Masculinity5(1): 30–39.
33.
NettleDAndrewsCBatesonM (2017) Food insecurity as a driver of obesity in humans: The insurance hypothesis. Behavioral and Brain Sciences40: e105.
34.
Neumark-SztainerDPaxtonSJHannanPJ, et al. (2006) Does body satisfaction matter? Five-year longitudinal associations between body satisfaction and health behaviors in adolescent females and males. Journal of Adolescent Health39(2): 244–251.
35.
OgdenJThomasD (1999) The role of familial values in understanding the impact of social class on weight concern. International Journal of Eating Disorders25(3): 273–279.
36.
PuhlRSuhY (2015) Health consequences of weight stigma: Implications for obesity prevention and treatment. Current Obesity Reports4(2): 182–190.
37.
PuhlRMHeuerCA (2009) The stigma of obesity: A review and update. Obesity17(5): 941–964.
38.
RandCSWrightBA (2000) Continuity and change in the evaluation of ideal and acceptable body sizes across a wide age span. International Journal of Eating Disorders28(1): 90–100.
39.
RobinsonSAWebbJBButler-AjibadePT (2012) Body image and modifiable weight control behaviors among black females: A review of the literature. Obesity20(2): 241–252.
40.
RosewallJKGleavesDHLatnerJD (2018) Psychopathology factors that affect the relationship between body size and body dissatisfaction and the relationship between body dissatisfaction and eating pathology. Frontiers in Psychology9: 2768.
41.
RuelazARDiefenbachPSimonB, et al. (2007) Perceived barriers to weight management in primary care - Perspectives of patients and providers. Journal of General Internal Medicine22(4): 518–522.
42.
ShagarPSHarrisNBoddyJ, et al. (2017) The relationship between body image concerns and weight-related behaviours of adolescents and emerging adults: A systematic review. Behaviour Change34(4): 208–252.
43.
Shankar-KrishnanNFornieles DeuASánchez-CarracedoD (2021) Associations between food insecurity and psychological wellbeing, body image, disordered eating and dietary habits: Evidence from Spanish adolescents. Child Indicators Research14(1): 163–183.
44.
SpahlholzJBaerNKönigH-H., et al. (2016) Obesity and discrimination – A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Obesity Reviews17(1): 43–55.
45.
SticeEShawHE (2002) Role of body dissatisfaction in the onset and maintenance of eating pathology: A synthesis of research findings. Journal of Psychosomatic Research53(5): 985–993.
van Den BergPNeumark-SztainerD (2007) Fat’n happy 5 years later: Is it bad for overweight girls to like their bodies?Journal of Adolescent Health41(4): 415–417.
49.
von ElmEAltmanDGEggerM, et al. (2007) The strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology (STROBE) statement: Guidelines for reporting observational studies. Annals of Internal Medicine147(8): 573–577.
50.
VozorisNTTarasukVS (2003) Household food insufficiency is associated with poorer health. The Journal of Nutrition133(1): 120–126.
51.
WalkerRJGaracciEDawsonAZ, et al. (2021) Trends in food insecurity in the United States from 2011–2017: Disparities by age, sex, Race/ethnicity, and income. Population Health Management24(4): 496–501.
52.
WardleJGriffithJ (2001) Socioeconomic status and weight control practices in British adults. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health55(3): 185–190.
53.
WeinbergerN-AKerstingARiedel-HellerSG, et al. (2016) Body dissatisfaction in individuals with obesity compared to normal-weight individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity Facts9(6): 424–441.
54.
WuYKBerryDC (2018) Impact of weight stigma on physiological and psychological health outcomes for overweight and obese adults: A systematic review. Journal of Advanced Nursing74(5): 1030–1042.
55.
ZepedaL (2018) Hiding hunger: Food insecurity in middle America. Agriculture and Human Values35(1): 243–254.
