ORIGINAL PAPER
Perceived appearance-related sociocultural pressures and internalization of body ideals: a study on symptoms of eating disorders and orthorexia nervosa in young women
1
Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar, Zagreb, Croatia
2
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
These authors had equal contribution to this work
Submission date: 2025-07-03
Final revision date: 2026-01-26
Acceptance date: 2026-04-07
Online publication date: 2026-06-08
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Background:
Sociocultural pressures can influence perceptions of physical appearance ideals, often driving the internalization of unrealis-tic standards, which can contribute to eating disorders (ED). Today, there is a strong focus on health ideals, promoting personal responsibility for leading a healthier lifestyle. For some, this pursuit can escalate into disordered eating behaviours or orthorexia nervosa (ON), an obsessive focus on consuming only “healthy” foods. This study explored the impact of ap-pearance-related sociocultural pressures on symptoms of ED and ON, focusing on the role of internalizing thin and muscu-lar body ideals. It also investigated whether this internalization mediates the association between sociocultural pressures and these symptoms.
Participants and procedure:
The study surveyed 1,318 young women aged 18-21 from Croatia, who completed online assessments measuring appear-ance-related sociocultural pressures and internalization (thin/muscular) body ideals (SATAQ-4), eating disorder (EAT-11 – revised EAT-26) and orthorexia symptoms (DOS) using a cross-sectional design.
Results:
The results show that sociocultural pressures significantly contribute to the severity of ED and ON symptoms. Thinness ideals are a central factor driving both ED and ON symptoms, whereas muscularity ideals are more specifically associated with ON. Sociocultural pressures exert their influence on ED and ON indirectly through the internalization of thinness ide-als. However, while muscularity ideals did not mediate the relationship between sociocultural pressures and ED symptoms, they did mediate the effects on ON symptoms.
Conclusions:
The findings highlight the critical role of sociocultural pressures and the internalization of thinness and muscularity ideals in the development of disordered eating behaviours. Interventions could therefore focus on educating young women and their social circles on the impact of sociocultural influences, promoting a supportive environment to challenge harmful norms.
Sociocultural pressures can influence perceptions of physical appearance ideals, often driving the internalization of unrealis-tic standards, which can contribute to eating disorders (ED). Today, there is a strong focus on health ideals, promoting personal responsibility for leading a healthier lifestyle. For some, this pursuit can escalate into disordered eating behaviours or orthorexia nervosa (ON), an obsessive focus on consuming only “healthy” foods. This study explored the impact of ap-pearance-related sociocultural pressures on symptoms of ED and ON, focusing on the role of internalizing thin and muscu-lar body ideals. It also investigated whether this internalization mediates the association between sociocultural pressures and these symptoms.
Participants and procedure:
The study surveyed 1,318 young women aged 18-21 from Croatia, who completed online assessments measuring appear-ance-related sociocultural pressures and internalization (thin/muscular) body ideals (SATAQ-4), eating disorder (EAT-11 – revised EAT-26) and orthorexia symptoms (DOS) using a cross-sectional design.
Results:
The results show that sociocultural pressures significantly contribute to the severity of ED and ON symptoms. Thinness ideals are a central factor driving both ED and ON symptoms, whereas muscularity ideals are more specifically associated with ON. Sociocultural pressures exert their influence on ED and ON indirectly through the internalization of thinness ide-als. However, while muscularity ideals did not mediate the relationship between sociocultural pressures and ED symptoms, they did mediate the effects on ON symptoms.
Conclusions:
The findings highlight the critical role of sociocultural pressures and the internalization of thinness and muscularity ideals in the development of disordered eating behaviours. Interventions could therefore focus on educating young women and their social circles on the impact of sociocultural influences, promoting a supportive environment to challenge harmful norms.
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