According to a recent study, varying cultural backgrounds can influence how body appreciation, societal pressures, and the acceptance of thin ideals differ among individuals.
A new study published on July 31, 2024, in the open-access journal PLOS ONE, authored by Louise Hanson from Durham University, UK, and her team, highlights both the similarities and disparities across cultures regarding body appreciation, sociocultural pressures, and the internalization of thin-body ideals.
Body image is a complicated issue that involves our thoughts, behaviors, and feelings towards our physical appearance. Traditionally, research in this field has concentrated on young, White women from Western backgrounds, emphasizing negative aspects of body image rather than positive ones.
Conversely, Hanson and her colleagues focused on body appreciation, which reflects positive feelings and views about one’s own body. Their study included participants from various regions, spanning not just Western countries such as Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States but also from China and Nigeria. A total of 1,186 women completed the questionnaires for the analysis.
The findings showed no significant differences in body satisfaction among women of different ages; however, cultural differences were prominent. Black women from Nigeria exhibited the highest levels of body appreciation, followed by women from Eastern Asia (China), while White Western women had the lowest levels of body appreciation. This implies that ethnicity and cultural background significantly affect body appreciation and may serve as protective factors that foster a positive body image.
A strong internalization of the thin ideal, along with perceived societal pressures regarding appearance from family, friends, and media, was linked to lower body appreciation. Interestingly, internalization of these ideals varied by age in certain cultures: older White Western and Black Nigerian women reported lower levels of thin-ideal internalization compared to younger counterparts, while Chinese women maintained consistent thin-ideal internalization throughout their lives.
Across all cultures, older women indicated that they felt less sociocultural pressure than younger women. White Western women perceived greater media pressure than Black Nigerian and Chinese women, whereas Chinese women felt the most pressure from their peers. Overall, Black Nigerian women experienced the least sociocultural pressure, while Chinese women reported the highest levels.
The authors recommend that future research should include a larger number of older women to provide a more comprehensive understanding of body appreciation across different ages. They also suggest that more refined measurement techniques are needed for future studies within cross-cultural contexts. The insights from this study can help tailor positive body image interventions for specific cultural groups, although additional research may be necessary to create effective strategies for each demographic.
The authors concluded, “Our study showed that body appreciation remains relatively consistent across ages, while the sociocultural pressure is experienced in all cultures, although its intensity and sources vary significantly among them.”
