Blog » Three in four Aussie women want to be slimmer

Three in four Australian women want to be slimmer, according to a psychological study into body image.

“Most women in the study felt their bodies were larger than their ideal size, and larger than what men find attractive,” said psychology researchers Patricia Rodwell and Dr Nerina Caltabiano, who will present their findings at the Australian Psychological Society’s 44th Annual Conference in Darwin last month.

The study of 152 women investigated how Gen Y, Gen X and Baby Boomers perceive their bodies.

“We found Aussie women view their bodies differently over time,” said Ms Rodwell. “As women age and their figures change, so do their feelings about their bodies.”

“In particular, we found what women define as ‘attractive’ in relation to size and body shape differs across the generations, with older women reporting a slightly larger figure as attractive in both men and women.”

A quarter of the women wanted an ideal figure that was smaller than the figure they thought men would find attractive.

The study found women aged 70 to 92 were most dissatisfied with their weight, while women aged 50 to 59 were most satisfied with their figures.

“We tend to focus on body image in younger women, but it’s clearly just as important to investigate how older women perceive themselves and how this impacts their self-esteem,” said Ms Rodwell.

“We know that many women rarely feel that they have the ‘ideal’ body shape. A negative body image can impact on a person’s quality of life and feeling of selfworth, which can have serious implications.

“Women should try to focus on their strengths and appreciate their differences, as well as think more positively about their figures.”

Over 150 women aged 18 to 92 participated in the study into perception of body image and its impact on self-esteem and quality of life across different age groups.

To find out more information on the 44th APS Annual Conference visit: www.apsconference.com.au

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