More Than Body Appearance (MBA) Intervention

Not Applicable

Active, not recruiting

• Conditions: Body Image
• Interventions: Other: More than Body Appearance (MBA) Intervention

• Registration Number: NCT04677400
• Lead Sponsor: University of Padova

Brief Summary

The link between sport, physical exercise, and body image depends on the reasons underlying an individual's desire to engage in sport and physical exercise. Individuals characterized by reasons for exercise related to physical appearance are likely to focus on factors such as the number of calories burned, reductions in body weight, or visible changes in physical appearance during the practice; in accordance, appearance-related reasons for exercise are associated with body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. In contrast, reasons to exercise unrelated to physical appearance (such as health and enjoyment) are associated with body satisfaction. Thus, only certain reasons for exercise are associated with positive body image outcomes. Recently, literature studies affirmed that experimental designs could manipulate the emphasis placed on function (as opposed to physical appearance) during sport practice and physical exercise to promote positive body image. Based on this evidence, the first objective of the study will be testing the effectiveness of a psychological online intervention (More than Body Appearance \[MBA\] intervention) targeting body image in improving body image in individuals practicing physical activity.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2020-11-16
• Study First Submitted: 2020-12-15
• Study First Submitted QC: 2020-12-15
• Study First Posted: 2020-12-21
• Primary Completion: 2022-12-30
• Status Verified: 2024-09
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-03-24
• Last Update Posted: 2025-03-28
• Study Completion: 2025-12-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 100

Inclusion Criteria

• Practice of any kind of physical activity;

Exclusion Criteria

• Presence of a full-blown Body Image Disorder (BID);
• Current treatment for a BID;
• Absence of physical activity practice.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Experimental Group	More than Body Appearance (MBA) Intervention	Participants in the Experimental group start the MBA intervention immediately (Time 0; T0).
Waiting-list group	More than Body Appearance (MBA) Intervention	Participants in the waiting-list group start the MBA intervention at Time 1 (T1; 15 days after the Experimental group).

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Body appreciation	2 weeks	Improvements in body appreciation assessed by means of a self-report questionnaire: Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2; Minimum value: 10; Maximum value: 50; higher scores represent higher body appreciation)
Body dysmorphic disorder symptoms	2 weeks	Reductions in body dysmorphic disorder symptoms assessed by means of a self-report questionnaire: Questionario sul Dismorfismo Corporeo (QDC; Minimum value: 40; Maximum value: 280; higher scores represent higher body dysmorphic disorder symptoms)
Functionality appreciation	2 weeks	Improvements in functionality appreciation assessed by means of a self-report questionnaire: Functional Appreciation Scale (FAS; Minimum value: 7; Maximum value: 35; higher scores represent higher body functionality)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Risk of developing eating disorders	2 weeks	Reductions of the risk of developing eating disorders assessed by means of a self-report questionnaire: Eating Disorder Inventory-3 (EDI-3; Minimum value: 25; Maximum value: 150; higher scores represent higher risk)
Intuitive eating	2 weeks	Improvements in intuitive eating assessed by means of a self-report questionnaire: Intuitive Eating Sale-2 (IES-2; Minimum value: 23; Maximum value: 115; higher scores represent higher intuitive eating practices)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Padua; 🇮🇹 Padua, PD, Italy