How important is body image?

Our culture is preoccupied with body image and may very well be considered a national past-time. Nearly three-quarters of normal-weight females surveyed said they thought about their weight or appearance “all the time” or “frequently.” Women weren’t alone. The study also found that almost half of the normal-weight men surveyed responded the same way. Encouragement to focus on appearance is at an all-time high. This promotes a potential for a significant increase in negative body image. The more a person focuses on their body, the worse they tend to feel about how their looks. Unfortunately, obsession breeds dissatisfaction - a vicious cycle.