Young Women's Body Research Articles

AdaBoost algorithm for the recognition of young women’s body shapes based on 2D images

Classifying and recognizing the human body shape during human body measurements based on 2D images helps to improve measurement accuracy. In this paper, 430 young women's 2D body images were selected to establish 2D body datasets. The characteristic indices used to represent the body shape in 2D images were extracted by computer vision technology, namely the body height pixel value, projected unit area, and projected area ratio of the front and side of the body. The two-step cluster model was used to classify the body shape into three clusters: the tall, flat, and medium fatness type; the short, thin, and medium roundness type; and the round, fat, and medium height type. Then, the decision tree model and AdaBoost algorithm, an ensemble learning algorithm with the decision tree as the weak classifier, were used to recognize the body shape. The results show that the recognition accuracy of the decision tree recognition model was 93.19%. The body shape recognition method using AdaBoost achieved a better recognition effect than the decision tree model, and the recognition accuracy of the test set reached 97.35%. Through comparative study, we found that the recognition accuracy of the 2D body shape recognition method based on AdaBoost was improved and that the recognition accuracy was relatively stable. This study provides a new method for the recognition of human body shape in clothing customization and online shopping.

Advances in Research on the Relationship Between Social Media Use on Female's Body and Appearance Image Anxiety

With the proliferation of social media platforms and new-generation aesthetics. There has been a shift in how peopleespecially femaleview and engage with notions of the body and appearance. An increasing amount of research has examined the intricate connection between women's body and appearance issues and social media use over the last ten years. The relationship between young people's appearance anxiety issues and body image has been extensively studied in the literature. However, the influence of social media on the body image and influence of young women has received comparatively less theoretical investigation. It's also critical to comprehend how social media use influences women's body image barriers and perceptions, given the prominence of the internet in the lives of young people and their dependency on it. This essay aims to investigate the ways in which social media influences young women's body image issues and to provide a greater perspective on the research on this topic. It will do this by utilising the theories of social comparison and objectification to uncover and analyse the ways in which young women perceive their bodies and appearances on social media.

#ForYou? the impact of pro-ana TikTok content on body image dissatisfaction and internalisation of societal beauty standards.

Videos glamourising disordered eating practices and body image concerns readily circulate on TikTok. Minimal empirical research has investigated the impact of TikTok content on body image and eating behaviour. The present study aimed to fill this gap in current research by examining the influence of pro-anorexia TikTok content on young women's body image and degree of internalisation of beauty standards, whilst also exploring the impact of daily time spent on TikTok and the development of disordered eating behaviours. An experimental and cross-sectional design was used to explore body image and internalisation of beauty standards in relation to pro-anorexia TikTok content. Time spent on TikTok was examined in relation to the risk of developing orthorexia nervosa. A sample of 273 female-identifying persons aged 18-28 years were exposed to either pro-anorexia or neutral TikTok content. Pre- and post-test measures of body image and internalisation of beauty standards were obtained. Participants were divided into four groups based on average daily time spent on TikTok. Women exposed to pro-anorexia content displayed the greatest decrease in body image satisfaction and an increase in internalisation of societal beauty standards. Women exposed to neutral content also reported a decrease in body image satisfaction. Participants categorised as high and extreme daily TikTok users reported greater average disordered eating behaviour on the EAT-26 than participants with low and moderate use, however this finding was not statistically significant in relation to orthorexic behaviours. This research has implications for the mental health of young female TikTok users, with exposure to pro-anorexia content having immediate consequences for internalisation and body image dissatisfaction, potentially increasing one's risk of developing disordered eating beliefs and behaviours.

Body Image and Social Media: A Qualitative Investigation of the Influence of Instagram on Young Women's Self-Perception and Body Satisfaction

Objective: This study aimed to qualitatively investigate the influence of Instagram on young women's self-perception and body satisfaction, exploring the complex dynamics between social media interactions and their impacts on body image and self-esteem. Methods and Materials: Utilizing a qualitative research design, this study conducted semi-structured interviews with 27 young women aged 18 to 29, who were regular Instagram users. The interviews focused on participants' Instagram usage patterns, their exposure to body image-related content, and the effects of these interactions on their self-perception and body satisfaction. Thematic analysis was employed to identify and analyze patterns within the data, with theoretical saturation guiding the depth and comprehensiveness of the investigation. Findings: The analysis revealed seven main themes: Impact of Instagram on Self-Perception, Influence of Visual Content, Social Comparison Dynamics, Psychological Outcomes, Navigating Online Spaces, Regulation and Policy, and Technological Influences. These themes encompassed various categories and concepts, such as self-esteem fluctuations, identity shaping, body image concerns, exposure to beauty standards, content consumption patterns, upward vs. downward comparison, emotional and cognitive responses, behavioral changes, strategies for digital literacy, and the need for platform accountability. Conclusion: The study concludes that Instagram significantly influences young women's self-perception and body satisfaction, with social comparison dynamics, exposure to idealized beauty standards, and the nature of content consumption playing pivotal roles. While Instagram offers opportunities for positive engagement and support, it also poses challenges to body image and self-esteem. Addressing these impacts requires a multifaceted approach, including enhanced digital literacy, critical engagement with social media content, and proactive measures by social media platforms to foster a healthier online environment.

Exploration of the Reasons for Contemporary Young Women's Body Anxiety under the Background of New Consumerism

Exploration of the Reasons for Contemporary Young Women's Body Anxiety under the Background of New Consumerism

Appearance comparison on Instagram: The impact of fitspiration and transformation imagery on young women's body satisfaction

Fitspiration, or imagery of thin muscular individuals that displays their physiques while posing or exercising, is a popular type of content on Instagram which ostensibly exists to encourage individuals to engage in a healthy lifestyle. A subtype of fitspiration imagery, “transformation” imagery, depicts physical changes following a “lifestyle change” involving diet and exercise. Despite its intentions, fitspiration imagery largely promotes one idealized body type (the fit ideal) and can be accompanied by messages encouraging restrained eating. Viewing fitspiration imagery has been associated with body dissatisfaction and appearance comparison in women, but the impact of transformation imagery specifically on women's body image has not yet been studied, nor has the impact of the broader fitspiration category and the transformation subtype on women's body image been compared. The current study aimed to clarify the relations between fitspiration and transformation imagery, appearance comparison, and body satisfaction using an experimental design. Female participants (N = 161) completed a measure of body satisfaction and then were randomly assigned to view one of three types of images: fit ideal only, body transformation, or travel (control). Participants then completed measures of appearance comparison and body satisfaction. Viewing fit ideal only and body transformation imagery was associated with lower body satisfaction and higher appearance comparison. The relation between image type and changes in body satisfaction was mediated by appearance comparison. Findings suggest that individuals may benefit from limiting exposure to fit ideal and body transformation imagery, particularly if they are vulnerable to engaging in appearance comparison.

The effect of different types of TikTok dance challenge videos on young women's body satisfaction

The aim of this paper was to investigate the effect of different types of TikTok dance challenge videos on young women's body satisfaction. Study 1 involved 262 women aged between 18 and 25 years, who were randomly assigned to watch TikTok videos featuring either thin dancers, large dancers, or amusing animal videos. Body satisfaction significantly increased after watching large dancer TikTok videos and decreased after watching thin dancer TikTok videos, although this decrease was not significant. Study 2 replicated and extended study 1 and involved 280 women aged between 18 and 25 years. Females body satisfaction significantly decreased after watching the thin dancer TikTok videos and significantly increased after watching the large dancer TikTok videos. There was no significant difference between the participants in terms of state appearance comparison. Females in the thin dancer condition engaged in upward social comparison, whereas the females in the large dancer condition engaged in downward social compression. The impact of video type was not moderated either by trait appearance comparison, or thin ideal internalization. The effect of video type was not mediated by state appearance comparison but was fully mediated by the direction of social comparison. Study 3 involved 375 women aged between 18 and 25 years and found that body satisfaction was lower after watching the thin dancers than after watching the large dancers. This study shows that findings from the previous two studies could not be explained by the demand characteristics in the design of these studies. All three studies show that exposure to large dancers on TikTok has a positive impact on women's body satisfaction, whereas exposure to thin dancers has a negative impact on women's body satisfaction. The implications of these findings for the design of social media are discussed.

The picky men: Men's preference for women's body differed among attractiveness, health, and fertility conditions

The health and fertility hypothesis suggests that low body weight young women are healthy and fertile, thereby judged as attractive to men. Although it has been widely accepted, few studies have tested the health and fertility hypothesis on a perceptual level, that is whether the most attractive female body is also perceived as the healthiest and most fertile. In the current study, we investigated young and older men's preferences women's body weight, using 3D human body models. With an interactive body preference task, men chose the BMI and body fat of women's body shapes perceived as most attractive, healthiest and most fertile. The results showed that both young and older men had similar patterns of preferences for women's bodies. For BMI, the most attractive body weight was not seen as the healthiest or the most fertile. Compared to the most attractive BMI, higher BMI was required to be seen as the healthiest and this figure was even higher for fertility judgements. Body fat generally showed similar patterns of results as BMI. Our findings challenge the health and fertility hypothesis and point to the alternative explanation that the judgement of women's attractiveness tracks cues indicating youth and low parity.

성인초기 여성의 몸 이야기 경험에 관한 내러티브 탐구

Objectives This study aims to understand the process of recognizing identity as a woman and reconstructing the identity through young adult women's storytelling of bodies and to explore the meaning of storytelling experience about the body. Methods For this purpose, narrative inquiry suitable for understanding the life experience and the meaning within the experience was performed. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, experience reports, and e-mails from August 2020 to March 2021 for two women in their late 20s who participated in a group counseling program that talked about their bodies, and focused on the three-dimensional points of time, sociality, and place according to the narrative inquiry method. Results The results of this study are as follows. First, through the experience of telling stories of the body, the research participants became accepted themselves that did not match the ideal femininity that they were previously unconscious or ashamed of. Second, the participants' relationship with others expanded by re-thinking the relationship with important others through their storytelling of the body and accepting others. Third, All participants were able to experience a change in their self-identity by interpreting their own story anew within the safe and receptive group. Conclusions This study understands how young adult women's body storytelling experience of the body affect their perception of gender identity, and demonstrates how repressed identities can be reconstructed through telling stories of the women’s body. Through this result, we confirmed the meaning of the experience of telling stories of the body as an opportunity for young adult women to accept themselves and as a scaffolding for growth. In addition, by revealing the meaning and value of the storytelling of the woman's body, we expect to provide a momentum that the storytelling of the woman's body, which was oppressed in a male-dominated society, will be dealt with in the stage of public discourses.

ODONTOGENIC MYXOMA ASSOCIATED WITH CALCIFICATIONS: CASE REPORT OF AN UNUSUAL HISTOPATHOLOGICAL FEATURE

Odontogenic myxoma (OM) is a rare and locally invasive neoplasm that originates from odontogenic ectomesenchyme, frequently affecting the mandibular body in young women. OM causes bone destruction, cortical expansion, soft tissue infiltration, root displacement, and resorption. Microscopically, OM is characterized by stellate and spindle-shaped cells dispersed in an abundant myxoid stroma. Calcifications are rarely found in OM, with only 22 cases reported to date. A 28-year-old female patient was referred with a complaint of volume increase on the left side of the maxilla. Imaginologic examination revealed an osteolytic lesion with ill-defined borders. After incisional biopsy, microscopy showed a myxoid proliferation associated with diffusely dispersed calcified structures. The clinicopathologic correlation favored OM with calcifications. This histopathologic finding is rare when assessing OM, which should be recognized and differentiated from other lesions containing newly formed bone trabeculae or cementum-like material.

Parametric 3D modeling of young women's lower bodies based on shape classification

Three-dimensional (3D) human body modeling is an important research direction in the field of clothing virtual design. On the basis of 3D human body scanning, this paper studied a method to build a 3D parametric lower body model according to body classification. The research includes three main parts. (1) Anthropometry and body shape classification. We randomly selected 333 young women ages 18–25 years old in Northeast China as the experimental sample. Then we divided the lower body shape into three categories using principal component analysis and K-means clustering. (2) Determination of feature cross sections and points, and reconstruction of feature curves. According to the average values of each body type, we obtained the mean reference body by Euclidean distance method. We determined feature cross sections and points, and extracted the 3D coordinates of the feature points of the mean reference body to reconstruct the feature curves. (3) The surface lofting and establishment of parametric 3D lower body model. According to the shape characteristics of the lower body, we constructed the guiding lines for the crotch and lower limbs, and established parametric lower body models for three body types. Relevance to industry3D human modeling is an important part of garment industry digitization. This research provides an effective way to construct a parametric 3D lower body model. The method offers a reference for the parametric virtual human modeling and virtual fitting of trousers.

The effects of self-disclaimer Instagram captions on young women's mood and body image: The moderating effect of participants’ own photo manipulation practices

The current experiment investigated the impact of attaching self-disclaimer captions (i.e., captions about whether photos had been edited) to thin-ideal Instagram photos on young women’s body image and mood. Participants were 311 undergraduate students aged 18–25 years. Participants were randomly assigned to view images of a thin woman on Instagram with no captions, or with a generic, specific, or warning self-disclaimer caption, and completed pre and post measures of body image and mood and a questionnaire about their own photo-editing practices. Across all conditions, exposure to the images resulted in decreased body satisfaction, likelihood to compare one’s body to another’s, happiness, confidence, and anxiety. There was no significant effect of disclaimer type on body image or mood, and therefore no type of self-disclaimer had an ameliorating effect. However, specific disclaimers were superior to the other disclaimers at reducing likelihood to compare one’s body to another’s, for women high on photo manipulation. Future research should be conducted in adolescent girls and men.

The effect of different exercise types on sedentary young women's lipid profile.

Individualized exercise programs should be prepared according to duration and intensity. The current study focused on the effect of different types of exercises regularly done for eight weeks on sedentary young women's body components and lipid profile. The sample of the study was composed of 30 sedentary women recruited from Afyon Kocatepe University. The participants were randomly sorted into three groups and received combined exercises (aerobic + resistance exercises), aerobic exercises and cardio tennis exercises three days a week for eight weeks but no dietary program was given. Before and after the exercise programs, participants' body weights, heights, waist and hip circumferences were measured and their body components were analyzed through the bioelectrical impedance method. For the lipid profile analyses, 5 cc. of blood samples were drawn from forearm veins of the participants with the help of health specialists, and a biochemical doctor analyzed lipid profile markers such as total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL, LDL, and VLDL. It was found that exercises regularly done for eight weeks affected young women's body components considerably while it did not influence their lipid profile. The effect on body components depended on time. No difference was found in terms of exercise type.

Sociocultural pressure: a model of body dissatisfaction for young women.

The aim of the study was to verify the influence of pressure from sociocultural agents on dissatisfaction with face and body in young women mediated by the internalization of the lean and muscular body and to identify the contribution of individual characteristics to this model. A total of 612 university female students participated of study. The students completed the Portuguese versions of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-4 and of the Body Area Scale-Revised and a sociodemographic questionnaire. A hypothetical model was constructed using structural equation modeling to test the relationship between the variables. The model fit and the significance of the hypothetical paths were verified. The results provide evidence that the greater the pressure of sociocultural agents and the internalization of the lean body, the more women were dissatisfied with body and face appearance. The media contributed to a greater internalization of the muscular body, which reduced the body dissatisfaction. The practice of physical activity and a higher economic level contributed to a greater internalization of the muscular body, which reduced body dissatisfaction. A higher economic level also influenced the internalization of the lean body and increased the dissatisfaction with face and body. A higher body mass index contributed to a greater pressure from sociocultural agents, greater internalization of the lean body, and greater dissatisfaction with body and face. The relationships identified in the model can contribute to the development of strategies aimed at reducing body dissatisfaction and eating disorders in the population, such as body acceptance.

On Being Ugly in Public: The Politics of the Grotesque in Naked Protests

AbstractSexualized naked protest using young and attractive women's bodies have long featured in the repertoire of protest tools for interventions in public space. Antirape feminist groups and nonhuman-animal rights activist groups, in particular, have mobilized these bodies to attract attention to their causes. Contemporary debates have suggested that these sorts of protest are objectionable, and that they are entwined with contemporary rape culture. This article complicates these accounts by considering what happens when the naked body is presented as a grotesquery in the service of these apparently emancipatory politics.Analyzing two instances of naked protest as case studies, this article examines what happens to naked protest when the bodies protesting are “ugly” or are rendered so. The analysis suggests that naked protest featuring bodies that are “ugly” harbors the possibility of mobilizing a transgressive politics beyond contemporary rape culture. This article has implications for better understanding how to mobilize protest in a way that is transgressive and bold without further enshrining rape culture as the normative background against which it takes place.

Women's self‐presentation and the transition from classroom to workplace

Organizations place context‐specific appearance demands on women — demands that often echo wider inequalities, require adaptation of self‐presentation and impact on women's careers. Despite this, the effect of life and career stage transition on women's self‐presentation and embodied identities remains largely unexplored. Drawing on a qualitative study of young British women's body modification, this article examines what impact transitioning from education into the world of work has on women's self‐presentation and body modification regimes and their embodied identities. Body modification here refers to all methods women use to alter their physical body and appearance (e.g., invasive or non‐invasive; self‐administered or other‐administered; permanent or temporary), provided the intention of their use is primarily to alter the user's physical appearance. Expectations of transition, the impact of entering the workplace and of career establishment are considered as well as the significance of career stage and vulnerability for resistance and negotiation of organizational expectations. Transition of life stage is found to be a catalyst for self‐presentation change. The transition from education to work is identified as having a significant impact on body modification practices across workplaces.

Downstream consequences of pubertal timing for young women's body beliefs

IntroductionPuberty is a critical biopsychosocial event that has long-term consequences for adolescents' behavior and well-being. Research has shown that developing earlier than one's peers may worsen adolescent girls' body image, in part due to weight redistribution and increases in adiposity resulting from pubertal development. However, research has yet to examine if pubertal timing is associated with girls' body beliefs related to self-objectification, self-sexualization, and positive body image beyond the adolescent years. We address that issue here. MethodsParticipants were 287 undergraduate White women (Mage = 18.62, SDage = 0.93) from the United States who completed surveys containing a retrospective report of pubertal timing and several scales assessing their current body beliefs. ResultsRegression analyses demonstrated that earlier pubertal timing was linked to greater body surveillance, greater sex appeal self-worth, and less body appreciation, but not to body shame or enjoyment of sexualization, which were negatively related to age. ConclusionsThis study provides preliminary evidence that pubertal timing has downstream consequences for a variety of women's body beliefs. However, older women reported less body shame and less enjoyment of sexualization than younger women, suggesting possible age (and not puberty-) related developmental trends in these two body beliefs. These findings highlight a need for future work with larger, more diverse samples and longitudinal data.

Effects of Self‐Discrepancy and Self‐Schema on Young Women's Body Image and Self‐Esteem after Media Image Exposure

The purpose of this study was to examine how self‐discrepancy and self‐schema influence the effects of exposure to thin versus nonidealized model images on young women's body dissatisfaction, body anxiety, and self‐esteem as an antecedent and moderator. Female college students at a Midwestern university (n = 380) responded to a web‐based survey with stimuli that consisted of thin, nonidealized, and no model images in fashion ads. Results indicated appearance self‐discrepancy and self‐evaluative schema in appearance augmented body dissatisfaction and body anxiety, and decreased self‐esteem, whereas motivational schema in appearance reduced body anxiety and improved self‐esteem. There were no differences in body dissatisfaction, body anxiety, and self‐esteem from these three model stimuli. However, participants with higher appearance self‐discrepancy had greater body dissatisfaction and body anxiety when exposed to thin‐idealized model images rather than nonidealized model images. Self‐evaluative and motivational schema in appearance did not play a moderating role on the effects of exposure to thin versus nonidealized model images on body dissatisfaction, body anxiety, and self‐esteem. Appearance self‐discrepancy provides better insights for the effects of media on body image and self‐esteem than appearance self‐schema as a moderator.

The relationship between the use of combined hormonal contraception with a predominance of gestagens and the selected types of female body in young women from the region of Lower Silesia

Oral contraceptive agents are currently the most popular and one of the most effective methods for preventing pregnancy. The data shows that over 300 million women in the world use contraceptive drugs containing synthetic hormones to avoid an unwanted pregnancy. Their effects may affect other systems, leading to the occurrence of various problems associated with the use of the drug. The aim of the study is to estimate the frequency of prevalence of subjective effects associated with the use of combined hormonal contraception with a predominance of gestagens by young women Surveys were conducted among female students of Wrocław universities from December 2010 to January 2011. They covered 257 women aged statistically 23.58 (SD=2.95). They were divided into three age classes: 19-22, 23-24, 25- 28. The individual age of menarche and the hormonal type of body were determined. Only persons with a gestagenic or estrogenic type of body were qualified for the study. Results: 64.6% of all respondents declared the use of hormonal contraception. Combined agents with a predominance of gestagens constituted 87% in this group. Their use brings both positive (90%) and negative (65%) aspects. The most common positive effects include high contraceptive effectiveness, regulation of menstruation and minimisation of skin problems. The most frequent negative effects include: weight gain, spotting, breast swelling and decreased libido. Surprisingly, the study did not show any correlation between the hormonal type and the occurrence of side effects. There was no significant statistical relationship between the type of hormonal contraception used and the hormonal type.

Fuzzy classification of young women's lower body based on anthropometric measurement

The traditional method of body classification is discrete, using crisp and rather dichotomous classification methods; there are many shortcomings for ergonomic design of clothing products by this method. This paper proposes a fuzzy method to classify lower body shapes based on triangular fuzzy numbers. By using factor analysis and correlation analysis, we found that the height, the waist girth, and the difference of hip-waist are crucial dimensions to represent lower body shape. We then classified the lower body shape into three categories according to the difference of hip-to-waist, and finally used the membership of triangular fuzzy numbers to represent the lower body shapes. Results show that the fuzzy method of body classification can more accurately represents body information than the traditional method without increasing the number of body types. Additionally, we established that the mean of the height, waist girth and hip girth of the young women of northeast China increased by about 0.8 cm, 1.5 cm and 1.4 cm respectively compared with ten years ago.Relevance to industry: Anthropometric data is the basis of garment pattern design, and body classification is a necessary precondition for developing a garment size system. These research achievements will add value to the pattern design of young women's lower body clothing, the development of new sizing systems and related industries.