Effect of Fear of Being Fat and Dietary Behaviors on The Body Shape Perception among Middle-Aged Women

Abstract

The present study explores the effect of fear of being fat and dietary behavior on the body shape perception among middle-aged women. This is a quantitative study and is administered to 120 participants (60 employed and 60 unemployed women). Convenient sampling technique was used to draw the samples from the population. Instruments such as Goldfarb fear of fat scale (Lori A Goldfarb, 1985), Concern over weight and dieting scale (Dona M Kagan and Rose L Squirres, 1984) and Body shape questionnaire (P J Cooper, M J Taylor, Z Cooper and C G Fairburn, 1987) were used for the collection of data. Karl Pearson correlation and independent t- test were used for the analysis of data. The results indicated a strong positive correlation among the variables: fear of being fat, dietary behaviors, and body shape perception. Additionally, there was no significant difference observed between employed and unemployed individuals in these aspects.