Abstract
Over-estimation of body size, a core feature of eating disorders (EDs), has been well-documented both in young healthy and ED individuals. Yet, evidence that altered body perception might also affect older women is limited. Here, we examined whether attitudinal components of body image (i.e. the feelings an individual has about their body size and shape) might affect perceived actual and ideal body shape self-estimates in midlife, similarly to younger women. Thirty-two younger (mean age, 24.22 years) and 33 middle-aged (mean age, 53.79 years) women took part to a computerized body perception assessment of perceived, actual and ideal aspects of body image. Body mass index (BMI), societal and interpersonal aspects of appearance ideals, measured by means of Sociocultural Attitudes towards Appearance Questionnaire (SATAQ-4), and assessment of body uneasiness and concerns for specific body parts, measured by Body Uneasiness Test (BUT-A/B) scales, were also investigated. Younger and middle-aged women with larger BMI showed greater discrepancy in perceptual distortions from their perceived actual body size. However, middle-aged women with greater body part concerns overestimated their perceived body size, as opposed to younger women who were almost accurate. Unlike middle-aged women, younger women with higher body part concerns desired slimmer ideal body image than their perceived actual. Results suggest that distortions in the perceived actual and ideal body size self-estimates of younger and middle-aged women are best explained by a combination of BMI, body part concerns and the particular age group to which a participant belonged. In the future, a personalized approach for the assessment of women’s perceptions and concerns of specific body areas during lifespan should be adopted.
Highlights
Body image is a multidimensional construct that represents an individual’s conscious perception of, and attitude towards, their bodily appearance (Arbour and Ginis 2008; Reboussin et al 2000; Tiggemann 2004)
The two groups were indistinguishable and showed a significant tendency to overestimate their perceived actual body size with increasing body mass index (BMI). These results suggest that distortions in perceived actual body size estimation of younger and middle-aged women are best explained by a combination of BMI, concern for body parts and the particular age group to which a participant belonged
In agreement with studies reporting that women in the general population may overestimate their body size (Johnson et al 2008), but in disagreement with other findings that instead suggest that women tend to underestimate their body size in the general population (Monteath and McCabe 1997; Robinson 2017), we found that middle-aged women with greater body parts concerns reported greater overestimations in the perception of their perceived actual body image
Summary
Body image is a multidimensional construct that represents an individual’s conscious perception of, and attitude towards, their bodily appearance (Arbour and Ginis 2008; Reboussin et al 2000; Tiggemann 2004). Most research into people’s body image concerns and eating attitudes has been conducted in adolescents and young adults, with a particular focus on female university undergraduates aged 18–24 years (Slevec and Tiggemann 2011b) This coincides with the median age of onset for EDs (Hudson et al 2007; Favaro et al 2003), with AN being prevalent in this age group (Smink et al 2012). As with their younger colleagues (Wardle et al 2006), middle-aged women can experience negative feelings and attitudes towards their body, such as body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness (Bane and McAuley 1998; Longo et al 2009) along with over-estimation of their body size (Hayashi et al 2006; but see Monteath and McCabe 1997 and Paul et al 2015 for opposite results in the general population) leading to an increased risk for late onset EDs (Marcus et al 2007; Cumella and Kally 2008; Hoek 2006; Slevec and Tiggemann 2011a)
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