The Attractive Female Body Weight and Female Body Dissatisfaction in 26 Countries Across 10 World Regions

Results of the International Body Project I

Bibliographic Data

ID23329925
AuthorsViren Swami (0000-0002-4866-7950, University of Westminster, UK, , HELP University College, Malaysia), David A Frederick (0000-0002-4595-4380, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), USA, UCLA Center for Behavior, Evolution, and Culture, USA), Toivo Aavik (0000-0003-1620-0245, University of Tartu, Estonia), Lidia Alcalay (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile), Jüri Allik (0000-0002-8358-4747, University of Tartu, Estonia), Donna Anderson (University of Otago), Sonny Andrianto (0000-0002-5300-0034, Universitas Islam Indonesia, Indonesia), Anuja Arora (0009-0006-5800-1198, Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust), Arvind Arora (Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust University, India), Åke Brännström (0000-0001-9862-816X, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Austria, Umeå University, Sweden), John D Cunningham (Macquarie University), John Cunningham (0000-0001-6502-006X, Macquarie University), John Herbert Cunningham (0000-0002-2121-8071, Macquarie University), Dariusz P Danel (0000-0001-6175-3928, Polish Academy of Learning), Dariusz Danel (Polish Academy of Science, Poland), Krystyna Doroszewicz (Warsaw School of Social Psychology, Poland), Gordon B Forbes (Millikin University), A Furnham (0000-0001-7545-8532, University College London, UK), Corina U Greven (0000-0003-2402-3074, King's College London), Jamin Halberstadt (0000-0002-8938-3495, University of Otago), Shuang Hao (0000-0002-2303-4532), Shuang Hao Shuang Hao, Tanja Haubner (University of Vienna), Choon Sup Hwang Choon Sup Hwang (Kyung Hee University, South Korea), Choon Sup Hwang (Kyung Hee University), Mary Inman (Hope College), Mary L Inman (0000-0002-8168-2917, Hope College), Jas Laile Jaafar (0000-0003-2419-1051, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia), Jacob Johansson (0000-0002-0018-7018, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Austria, Umeå University, Sweden), Jaehee Jung (0000-0002-6890-305X, University of Delaware), Aşkın Keser (0000-0002-9272-2451, Kocaeli Üniversitesi), Uta Kretzschmar (Chemnitz University of Technology), Lance Lachenicht (University of KwaZulu-Natal), Norman P Li (0000-0002-4059-1613, University of Texas at Austin, USA, Singapore Management University, Singapore), Kenneth D Locke (0000-0003-3764-3571, University of Idaho), Kenneth Locke (University of Idaho), Jan-Erik Lönnqvist (0000-0001-8292-6090, University of Helsinki), Christy Lopez (University of California, Los Angeles), Lynn Loutzenhiser (0000-0001-6702-8954, University of Regina), Natalya C Maisel (University of California, Los Angeles), Matthew P Mccabe (0000-0002-4989-8582, Deakin University), Marita P Mccabe (Deakin University), Donald R Mccreary (0000-0002-9958-1671, Brock University, Canada, York University, Canada), William F Mckibbin (0000-0002-6760-0356, Florida Atlantic University), Alex Mussap (University of Helsinki), Félix Neto (0000-0003-0112-880X, Universidade de Porto, Portugal), Carly Nowell (Deakin University), Liane Peña Alampay (0000-0002-5760-6711, Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines), Subash Kumar Pillai (University of Malaya), Alessandra Pokrajac-Bulian (0000-0001-9142-5781, University of Rijeka, Croatia), René T Proyer (0000-0001-7426-4939, University of Zurich), Katinka Quintelier (0000-0003-4610-9119, Ghent University), Lina A Ricciardelli (0000-0002-7567-729X, Deakin University), Małgorzata Rozmus-Wrzesińska (University of Wrocław), Willibald Ruch (0000-0001-5368-3616, University of Zurich), Timothy Russo (University of Idaho), Astrid Schütz (0000-0002-6358-167X, Chemnitz University of Technology), T K Shackelford (0000-0001-8101-4292, Florida Atlantic University), Sheeba Shashidharan (Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust University, India), Franco Simonetti (0000-0001-5197-6896, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile), Dhachayani Sinniah (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia), Mira Swami (Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust University, India), Griet Vandermassen (Ghent University), Marijke Van Duynslaeger (Ghent University), Markku Verkasalo (0000-0002-4356-9649, University of Helsinki), Martin Voracek (0000-0001-6109-6155, University of Vienna), Curtis K Yee (University of California, Los Angeles), Echo Xian Zhang, Xiaoying Zhang (0000-0002-0996-1663, Loughborough University), Xiaoying Zhang Xiaoying Zhang (Loughborough University), Ivanka Živčić–Bećirević (0000-0002-8295-0223, National University of Malaysia), Ivanka Zivcic-Becirevic (Universiti Kebangsaan Malysia, Malaysia)
Year2010
Volume36
Issue3
Pages309-325
Publication date2010-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePersonality and Social Psychology Bulletin (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0146-1672 • E-ISSN: 1552-7433
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0146167209359702
PMID20179313
OpenAlexW2125386561
LanguageEN
Citations received174
References cited71

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.

Body mass index · Body weight · Geography · Lower body · Physical therapy · Population · Scale (ratio) · Socioeconomic status · Sociology · Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies · Demography · Eating Disorders and Behaviors · Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior · Medicine · Psychology · Social Psychology