Biopsychosocial correlates of dietary intent in middle school girls

• Internalization and perceived pressures contribute to disturbed eating attitudes.
• Peer support is associated with greater dietary intent.
• Cardiorespiratory fitness may protect against dietary restraint.

Adolescent girls commonly engage in weight management and dietary restriction with the hopes of changing their bodies to more closely approximate social body ideals. The purpose of this study was to examine biopsychosocial factors that predict dietary restraint. Participants (n = 774, Mage = 12.38) completed measures of dietary intent, pubertal status, sociocultural pressures, body comparison, internalization, body dissatisfaction, social support, and general self-esteem. Height, weight, and cardiorespiratory fitness were objectively measured. Pressures to lose weight and gain muscle mass, internalization of social body ideals, and friend support predicted higher levels of dietary intent; cardiorespiratory fitness predicted lower levels of dietary intent. Girls who experience pressure, adopt social body ideals as their own, and experience social support from friends may be at increased risk for disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors. Fitness may offer a protective effect against psychological and social risk factors. Additional research is needed to establish the causal nature of these relationships and determine effective methods for reducing disordered eating risk among adolescent girls.