The Effects of a Social-Evaluative Body Image Threat on Shame, Social Physique Anxiety, Body Dissatisfaction and Cortisol Responses in University Men

Men struggle with body image concerns particularly related to the desire to be muscular. In women, social-evaluative body image threats have been linked to increased shame and cortisol responses, consistent with social self-preservation theory (SSPT), but no research has investigated these responses in men. Men (n = 66) were randomly assigned to either a social-evaluative threat (SET) or non-social-evaluative threat (N-SET) condition. Participants provided saliva samples and completed body shame, body dissatisfaction and social physique anxiety measures prior to and following their condition, during which anthropometric and strength measures were assessed. Results indicated men in the SET condition had higher body shame, social physique anxiety, and body dissatisfaction and had higher levels of cortisol than men in the N-SET condition post-social-evaluative threat. These findings, consistent with SSPT, suggest that social-evaluative body image threats may lead to increased body shame and social physique anxiety, greater body dissatisfaction and higher cortisol levels.

The Role of Membrane Lipid Composition on Skeletal Muscle Damage in the Rodent Model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a X-linked muscle disease, which leads to alterations in membrane phospholipid fatty acid (FA) composition and skeletal muscle damage. Increased membrane saturated FA in muscular dystrophy may suggest its association with increased susceptibility (as being the cause or consequence) to muscle damage. It was hypothesised that increased saturation is positively correlated to increased muscle damage. Correlations were hypothesized to be greater in extensor digitorum longus (EDL) at 20 weeks compared to soleus (SOL) at 10 weeks in dystrophin deficient (mdx) mice. Increased saturation was correlated to damage in EDL at both 10 and 20 weeks, with stronger correlations at 10 weeks. The results suggest that membrane PL FA composition may be associated with damage through two possible means. Increased saturation may be a cause or consequence of membrane damage. Association of membrane composition with eccentric induced damage has underscored the importance of saturated PL FA compositions in damage to dystrophic myofibres.