Cultural factors in the eating disorders: a study of body shape preferences of Arab students

Abstract

A replication of an American study of body shape preference was conducted in a group of 218 Arab students attending the American University in Cairo, Egypt. Arab female students felt their ideal shape to be significantly thinner than their current shape, while male students did not. Hence the appraisal of body shape shows gender differences in Egypt consistent with the American study. The Arab women reported a current shape similar to American women but had a smaller discrepancy between ratings of their ideal and current body shape. There was no difference for either Arab women or men between the shape thought most attractive to the opposite sex and that which the other gender actually reported as most attractive. The study shows a clear preference for thinness in the Arabic culture, inferences are made to its role in predisposing to eating disorders.