Sociocultural pressures and engagement with cosmetic products and procedures in adult women

Previous studies have shown that cosmetic procedures and products that perpetuate Western hegemonic beauty standards among women have become increasingly popular, and pressures from sociocultural agents to utilize them are significant. However, little work has documented the relationship between perceived sociocultural pressures and use of cosmetic procedures and products among a larger age range of adult women. A community sample of 308 women aged 18-66, mean (SD) age of 35.7 (9.7), reported on the cosmetic procedures they had considered or used, as well as perceived pressures from the media, peers, romantic partners, and health and beauty professionals. Findings revealed that, among those investigated, the most frequently utilized products and procedures were supplements and hair removal. However, a significant minority reported considering more invasive procedures, including cosmetic surgery. Media was the predominant source of pressure, while partners were the least frequently endorsed. While pressure from professionals and peers had small-to-moderate associations with utilization of cosmetic products and procedures, pressure from partners had the largest association with their use. This work frames important future directions for examining the impact of sociocultural pressures on women's willingness to utilize cosmetic products and procedures that are sometimes underregulated and risky for physical and mental health.

#BodyPositive: A qualitative exploration of young people's responses to body positive social media content

Body positive social media content has been suggested to be more helpful to body image as compared to mainstream idealized images. However, body positive content is heterogeneous, and the processes underpinning the effects of body positive social media content on body image are not well understood. The aim of this study was to qualitatively examine variations in reactions to different types of body positive images among young people and their perceptions of the underlying processes. A sample of n=33 people, 67% cisgender women, aged 14-25, mean (SD) = 19.6 (2.57) years, were interviewed. Thematic analysis revealed that body positive content highlighting the unrealistic nature of social media and inclusive in its broad portrayals of beauty were evaluated as most helpful. Two main processes were identified: (1) the broadening of understandings of beauty and greater inclusivity; and (2) the modeling of positive body image and active resistance to appearance ideals. However, these effects may vary according to content creators' characteristics as well as individuals' own body image concerns and their perceived proximity to those portrayed. Additional work across age, gender, and other identities is warranted to identify the most useful types of content for different individuals.

Toward inclusivity: A systematic review of the conceptualization of sexual minority status and associated eating disorder outcomes across two decades

OBJECTIVE

Sexual minority (SM) groups (e.g., those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, questioning, queer, asexual, or those who feel their sexual orientation identity cannot be captured with existing terminology [LGBQA+] and those who report same-sex or same-gender attraction and/or behavior) are at elevated risk for eating disorder (ED) symptoms and behaviors. However, the ways in which this risk varies across SM is less clear, and findings are not fully convergent. Evolution in the definition and assessment of SM status may contribute to this divergence. The aim of this study was to systematically review how sexual orientation and SM status have been assessed in the ED literature and how this may relate to patterns of associations between SM status and ED symptoms.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature focused on ED symptoms and behaviors and SM groups was conducted, yielding 182 studies.

RESULTS

Five categories were created reflecting SM status assessment: identity only (n = 105), attraction only (n = 8), behavior only (n = 4), combinations of identity, behavior, or attraction (n = 58), and articles with unclear or insufficient information about SM status assessment (n = 7). SM status operationalizations varied across studies, with more inclusive assessments in more recent work. Findings revealed persistent conflicting patterns of disordered eating symptomatology for some SM groups. In addition, decisions to selectively combine SM participants in some studies, most often to increase power, decreased the specificity of their results in relation to differential risk and protective factors within specific LGBQA+ groups.

DISCUSSION

Findings highlight the importance of inclusive assessments of sexual orientation in the ED literature and research focused on underrepresented groups with intersecting identities. Identifying modifiable targets for intervention is a critical next step.

PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE

Sexual minority (SM) groups have been identified as presenting elevated risk for eating disorder symptoms and behaviors. Our findings suggest that the level of risk is variable across SM groups and points to the need for multi-dimensional assessments of SM status, and increased focus on the function of disordered eating behaviors and different profiles that might emerge related to efforts to modify physical appearance or to regulate emotion.

Body image concerns and disordered eating among older women: Identifying variables of interest for integrated models

OBJECTIVE

Research focused on developing risk and protective models of body image concerns and disordered eating among older women is scant. Models including biological, psychological, and sociocultural elements may be useful explanatory frameworks in this group. Thus, the aim of this study was to conduct formative research exploring the constructs that form part of biopsychosocial models of body image concerns and disordered eating among older women.

METHOD

A sample of 184 women aged 60-75 years completed an online survey assessing media pressures, thin-ideal internalization, depression symptoms, weight and shape concerns, and disordered eating as well as positive reappraisal and acceptance of aging-related changes to appearance.

RESULTS

After the addition of two supplemental pathways, the model revealed good fit to the data. In the final model, age, depression, and media pressure were associated with media internalization, that was in turn associated with weight and shape concerns, and then disordered eating. Depression was also directly associated with both weight and shape concerns and disordered eating. The model varied across older women with high versus low levels of positive reappraisal and acceptance of aging-related changes to appearance. Specifically, among those high on this trait, the pathways between depression and thin-ideal internalization, and between weight and shape concerns and disordered eating were significantly weaker.

DISCUSSION

These findings support the usefulness of biopsychosocial models for grounding research on body image concerns and disordered eating among older women, and suggest positive reappraisal and acceptance of aging-related changes to appearance as a useful dimension to focus on.

Positive body image, intuitive eating, and psychosocial functioning among older women: Testing an integrated model

BACKGROUND

Research on the body image and eating behaviors of older women is scarce. Moreover, the scant existing research has lacked a focus on positive dimensions, such as positive reappraisal and acceptance, body appreciation, appearance satisfaction, and intuitive eating among older women. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine a model of the relationships among these positive dimensions and psychological functioning in older women.

METHODS

A sample of 171 women aged 60-75 years were recruited through social media to respond to a survey assessing body image, eating behaviors, and psychological wellbeing.

RESULTS

The final model was a good fit to the data. In this model, positive reappraisal and acceptance of age-related appearance changes was associated with higher body appreciation, in turn associated with higher body image related quality of life, higher levels of intuitive eating, and lower levels of depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Positive body image and positive reappraisal of aging-related changes in appearance are associated with psychological wellbeing among older women. Longitudinal data are needed to clarify the direction of these relationships and inform interventions. Body image remains an important dimension among older women and should be accounted for in broader health promotion efforts among this group.

Fear of fatness and desire for thinness as distinct experiences: A qualitative exploration

OBJECTIVE

The pursuit of thinness and fear of gaining weight have been found to play an important role in eating disorder symptomatology. While these dimensions have typically been considered conjointly, emerging evidence suggests they may be distinct dimensions. The aim of this study was to explore the subjective experiences of fear of fatness and drive for thinness in young women with body image concerns.

METHOD

Young women endorsing weight concerns (N = 29, mean age = 20.86, SD = 2.70 years) were interviewed and asked to describe an experience of fear of fat and drive for thinness, respectively.

RESULTS

Qualitative analysis was conducted and identified four themes: (1) precipitating events; (2) physiological, emotional, cognitive, and proprioceptive experiences; (3) coping strategies; and (4) sociocultural influences. While similarities emerged, the experiences of fear of fatness, and of drive for thinness also evidenced clear differences situating the former in the context of fear-based avoidance patterns, and the latter in approach-based reward models.

DISCUSSION

These findings provide additional support for the usefulness of considering fear of fat and drive for thinness as distinct constructs. Further research examining the contributions of each of these constructs to eating pathology is warranted.