Body dissatisfaction across cultures: findings and research problems

Abstract

This review had two aims. The first aim was to describe the existing literature regarding body dissatisfaction across cultures. Previous studies were organized and presented according to three general patterns found in the existing literature, patterns that were to some extent based on the differing degrees of affluence and type of lifestyles in the cultures examined. The review's second aim was to illuminate some of the specific problems that studies of body dissatisfaction across cultures deal with and to provide suggestions for improvement. The suggestions concern how future research may achieve a more inclusive and detailed picture of body dissatisfaction across cultures, for instance by using diversified measurements, providing detailed information about the cultural groups that are examined, investigating how different risk factors may influence the level of body dissatisfaction in different cultures and widening the research geographically.