Nature for Body Image

NCT06960668 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 1216-a
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Nature exposure has been found to be particularly beneficial for body image, as recent studies have identified a positive association between time spent in nature and positive body image. Positive body image, defined as the ability to accept and respect one's body, has been linked to greater life satisfaction and engagement in healthy behaviors. Conversely, negative body image is recognized as a public health concern due to its detrimental effects on both physical and mental health. It has been associated with symptoms of Body Image Disorders (BIDs), including Eating Disorders (EDs) and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). The Nature for Body Image (NBI) project aimed to examine the impact of a structured nature exposure intervention on improving body image among young women aged 18-35 years.

Conditions

Body Image; Eating Behaviors; Self-Compassion; Interoception

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Negative Body Image

  Assessed with the Italian - Body Image Concern Inventory (I-BICI), a 19-item self-report questionnaire measuring negative body image. Scores range from 19 to 95, with higher scores indicating greater negative body image.

  5 weeks

• Body Appreciation

  Assessed with the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2), a 10-item self-report questionnaire measuring body appreciation. Scores range from 10 to 50, with higher scores indicating greater body appreciation.

  5 weeks

• Functionality appreciation

  Assessed with the Functionality Appreciation Scale (FAS), a 7-item self-report questionnaire measuring functionality appreciation. Scores range from 7 to 35, with higher scores indicating greater functionality appreciation.

  5 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Dysfunctional Eating Behaviours and Risk of Developing Eating Disorders

  5 weeks

• Functional Eating Behaviors

  5 weeks

• Embodiment

  5 weeks

• Interoceptive Awareness

  5 weeks

• Self-compassion

  5 weeks

Study Arms (3)

Structured Nature Exposure

EXPERIMENTAL

The structured nature exposure sessions will be conducted twice a week, each lasting 30 minutes. Activities will include meditation, body scans, and grounding exercises in a natural setting (e.g., in a public park).

Behavioral: Nature for Body Image

Simple Nature Exposure

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The simple nature exposure sessions will take place twice a week, with each session lasting 30 minutes. During these sessions, participants will spend time in nature (e.g., in a public park) without receiving specific instructions or guidance.

Behavioral: Simple nature exposure

Structured Built Environment Exposure

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The structured built environment sessions will consist of five 30-minute sessions, mirroring the activities of the structured nature exposure sessions, but conducted entirely in non-natural settings.

Behavioral: Structured Built Environment Exposure

Interventions

Nature for Body Image BEHAVIORAL

The intervention will include a range of activities in nature (e.g., in a public park), such as meditation, body scans, and grounding exercises.

Structured Nature Exposure

Simple nature exposure BEHAVIORAL

The intervention will simply involve spending time in nature (e.g., in a public park), without specific guidelines.

Simple Nature Exposure

Structured Built Environment Exposure BEHAVIORAL

The intervention will mirror the activities of the structured nature exposure intervention (e.g., meditation, body scans, and grounding exercises), but without any exposure to nature.

Structured Built Environment Exposure

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Females
• Age 18-35 years old

You may not qualify if:

• Full-blown body image disorder

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Padova: lead

Study Sites (1)

Department of General Psychology, University of Padova

Padua, Italy, Italy

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Feeding Behavior

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior, Animal; Behavior

Central Study Contacts

Silvia Cerea, PhD

CONTACT

++39 049 827 6683; silvia.cerea@unipd.it

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 28, 2025
• First Posted: May 7, 2025
• Study Start: May 1, 2025
• Primary Completion: August 30, 2025
• Study Completion: February 28, 2026
• Last Updated: May 16, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

IT (1)