"It's about What I Can Do with My Body": Body Image and Embodied Experiences of Aging among Older Canadian Men

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore retirement-age men’s perceptions of body image and embodied experiences of aging. Individual interviews and follow-up focus groups were conducted with fifteen Canadian men aged 60 to 70. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically. Findings highlighted the complex perceptions of body image for older men. Findings suggest that participants placed more emphasis on function than on appearance, with men feeling that aging played an important role in body image attitudes and how they viewed themselves through their bodies. The findings also suggest that gender and to some extent masculinity played a role in participants’ body image and embodied experiences. Implications in light of existing literature and directions for future research are discussed.