Citation

Swami V, Frederick DA, Aavik T, Alcalay L, Allik J, Anderson D, Andrianto S, Arora A, Brännström A, Cunningham J, Danel D, Doroszewicz K, Forbes GB, Furnham A, Greven CU, Halberstadt J, Hao S, Haubner T, Hwang CS, Inman M, Jaafar JL, Johansson J, Jung J, Keser A, Kretzschmar U, Lachenicht L, Li NP, Locke K, Lönnqvist JE, Lopez C, Loutzenhiser L, Maisel NC, McCabe MP, McCreary DR, McKibbin WF, Mussap A, Neto F, Nowell C, Alampay LP, Pillai SK, Pokrajac-Bulian A, Proyer RT, Quintelier KJP, Ricciardelli LA, Rozmus-Wrzesinska M, Ruch W, Russo T, Schütz A, Shackelford TK, Shashidharan S, Simonetti F, Sinniah D, Swami M, Vandermassen G, van Duynslaeger M, Verkasalo M, Voracek M, Yee CK, Zhang EX, Zhang X, Zivcic-Becirevic I. Person. Soc. Psychol. Bull. 2010; 36(3): 309-325.

Affiliation

University of Westminster, UK. v.swami@wmin.ac.uk

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0146167209359702

PMID

20179313

Abstract

This study reports results from the first International Body Project (IBP-I), which surveyed 7,434 individuals in 10 major world regions about body weight ideals and body dissatisfaction. Participants completed the female Contour Drawing Figure Rating Scale (CDFRS) and self-reported their exposure to Western and local media.

RESULTS indicated there were significant cross-regional differences in the ideal female figure and body dissatisfaction, but effect sizes were small across high-socioeconomic-status (SES) sites. Within cultures, heavier bodies were preferred in low-SES sites compared to high-SES sites in Malaysia and South Africa (ds = 1.94-2.49) but not in Austria. Participant age, body mass index (BMI), and Western media exposure predicted body weight ideals. BMI and Western media exposure predicted body dissatisfaction among women. Our results show that body dissatisfaction and desire for thinness is commonplace in high-SES settings across world regions, highlighting the need for international attention to this problem.

Language: en