Body image-related cognitive fusion as a main mediational process between body-related experiences and women's quality of life

Ferreira, C., & Trindade, I.A. (2015). Body image-related cognitive fusion as a main mediational process between body-related experiences and women's quality of life. Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, 20 (1), 91-97. doi: 10.1007/s40519-014-0155-y.Purpose: Although the experience of body image has been considered an important indicator of women’s psychological quality of life (QoL), it has also been suggested that the impact of unwanted body-related experiences on QoL may be mediated by emotional regulation processes. The aim of the current study was therefore to explore for the first time the role of body image-related cognitive fusion on these associations. Methods: This study comprised 779 young females who completed self-report measures. A path analysis was conducted to explore whether BMI, body dissatisfaction, and feelings of inferiority based on physical appearance would impact on psychological QoL through body image-related cognitive fusion. Results: The model explained 39% of psychological health, and revealed an excellent fit. Results showed that BMI did not directly impact on psychological health. Furthermore, the effects of increased body dissatisfaction and feelings of inferiority based on physical appearance on psychological health were fully and partially mediated by body image-related cognitive fusion, respectively. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the presence of body image-related negative experiences does not necessarily lead to impairment in women’s quality of life, which is rather dependent upon one’s ability to observe these unwanted experiences as transient and subjective. Therefore, intervention programs aiming at increasing women’s quality of life should focus on targeting emotional regulation processes in order to develop the ability to pursue life goals and values, even in the presence of unwanted experiences concerning body image

Explaining rigid dieting in normal-weight women: The key role of body image inflexibility

Ferreira, C., Trindade, I.A., & Martinho, A. (2016). Explaining rigid dieting in normal-weight women: the key role of body image inflexibility. Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, 21(1), 49–56. doi: 10.1007/s40519-015-0188-x.Restrictive dieting is an increasing behavior presented by women in Western societies, independently of their weight. There are several known factors that motivate diet, namely a sense of dissatisfaction with one’s body and unfavorable social comparisons based on physical appearance. However, dieting seems to have a paradoxical effect and has been considered a risk factor for weight gain and obesity in women, and associated with maladaptive eating. Nevertheless, the study of the emotional regulation processes that explain the adoption of inflexible and rigid dietary patterns still remains little explored. In this line, the present study aims to explore why normal-weight women engage in highly rigid and inflexible diets. We hypothesize that body and weight dissatisfaction, and unfavorable social comparisons based on physical appearance with peers explain the adoption of inflexible eating rules, through the mechanism of body image inflexibility. The study comprised 508 female college students who presented BMIs between 18.5 and 25. Path analyses were conducted to explore the study’s hypotheses. Results revealed that the model explained 43% of inflexible eating and revealed excellent fit indices. Furthermore, the unwillingness to experience unwanted events related to body image (body image inflexibility) mediated the impact of body dissatisfaction and unfavorable social comparisons on the engagement in inflexible eating rules. This study highlights the relevance of body image inflexibility to explain rigid eating attitudes, and it seems to be an important avenue for the development of interventions focusing on the promotion of adaptive attitudes towards body image and eating in young women

Sistema de gestão da qualidade e ambiental na Embrapa Arroz e Feijão.

O presente documento relata o histórico dessa mudança de filosofia institucional e mostra a interface existente entre a Gestão da Qualidade e Ambiental, para identificar e desenvolver estratégias para aplicação de modelos de planejamento integrado, que ofereçam subsídios para a sustentabilidade da empresa.bitstream/CNPAF/26654/1/doc_215.pd