BODY IMAGE IN AGING

Abstract

Body image relates to how individuals perceive and feel about their bodies. Research on body image in men, women, and adolescents has increased substantially in the past two decades. Body image, determined by various instruments, is classified as either negative or positive. A positive body image implies that the body is seen accurately and that the individual is delighted with their physical appearance. Negative body images are characterized by inaccurate perceptions of all or a part of the body and uncomfortable feelings associated with them. Negative body image has been linked to eating disorders and mental disorders. The media, social pressures, cultural norms, age, gender, level of education, and an individual’s opinion of beauty all influence his or her body image perception. Studies in this area have been predominantly conducted with a focus on the association between eating disorders and dissatisfaction with body image in adolescents and young women. However, there is a growing interest in studying how body image functions and how it corresponds with psychological well-being across a lifetime in various demographic groups, especially among older adults. In this review, the life-altering body image satisfaction of men and women, as well as associated problems, were examined. The relationship between body dissatisfaction across ages, confounded by obesity, eating disorders, low physical activity, age-related reduction in sexual activity, and unhealthy lifestyle behaviors has been investigated.