Does Body Weight Dissatisfaction Change with Age? A Cross-Sectional Analysis of American Women

Abstract

This study explored the relationship between age and body weight dissatisfaction in American women using a cross-sectional approach. A sample of 55 women between the ages of 22 and 65 completed a questionnaire measuring the discrepancy between current and ideal body types, current perceptions of weight, the extent to which weight affected self-concept, and ratings of specific bodily features. The results did not indicate a significant difference in body weight dissatisfaction between young (22-34), middle-aged (35-49), and older (50-65) women. The impact of weight on women’s self-perception did not vary with age. Moreover, dissatisfaction with specific body parts was consistent across age cohorts. Evidence suggests that body weight dissatisfaction among women is pervasive across the lifetime, displaying no significant changes with age.