Body Image Issues In Women

Grogan (2006) defines body image as to how a person perceives his or her body. It involves body size estimation, body attractiveness and your feelings associated with your own body (Muth and Cash, 1997). Most of the body dissatisfaction is seen as the wish to be thinner (Grogan, 1999). Less research has been done on body image issues of boys in comparison to girls (Tiggemann, 2004). Eating disorders in women have been at a rise and hence, it has been conditioned that body image dissatisfaction is only relevant to young women (Orbach, 1993). Body image has been defined differently in terms of perceptual, attitudinal and cognitive behavioral factors (Cash, 2002). Body Image can affect our attitude towards exercise or meditation or avoiding things

Focus group discussions were used as a measure and it was found that boys were apprehensive to talk about their body image as it is not considered apt. It was seen that talking about a particular sport provided adolescent men a socially acceptable platform to discuss about their liking and disliking about their body. Hence, it is difficult to find gender-apt ways of making adolescent men comfortable enough to speak their heart out. The challenges of dealing with body dissatisfaction are to find effective interventions in improving body image in boys and girls (Cash, 2004). McCabe (2002) found that body image is gendered in children as early as 8 years of age. Girls are satisfied with their weight than boys and weight was more important for girls in the older age group. It has been also found that girls who are heavier tend to be less satisfied with their bodies affecting their self-esteem (Brownell, 2004). O’Dea (1999) conducted a study to check the development of self concept in overweight adolescents which was found to be poorer in girls with higher Body Mass Index (BMI). Interventions were designed to help them manage their weight due to high appearance concerns and lowered self

They talked about several themes such as, body shape ideas, self esteem, exercise, and diet. A common theme emerged out in all the discussions that being muscular is linked to being healthy and being fat is a weakness. Adolescents described peer pressure to be muscular, and two boys described experiences of teasing due to their body size. This was discussed in line to the Western culture which now says that men are becoming increasingly conscious about their body image.

Seigel (1999) conducted a study to examine the impact of gender, racial-ethnic group, perceived pubertal timing and adolescent mental health on body image. 877 teens were taken as a sample from the age group 13-18 years with diverse social and demographic characteristics. Interviews were taken with emphasis on emotional distress, coping resources, and problematic behaviour. It was found that girls were more depressed than boys and had lower self esteem. Negative feelings about their own bodies contribute to depression and low self esteem and hence, they are at a greater risk of mental