Outside opinion dictates women's body image, study says

By Staff Writer

A new study suggests that women base their body image primarily on how other people view their appearance.

The report, which appears in the Journal of Counseling Psychology, indicates that girls who are more focused on the inner workings of their body - how it functions and feels - than how they appear to others are more likely to appreciate their bodies. This influences their diet as well: women who focus on function eat based on hunger and fullness, while superficial females are likely to eat based on their emotions.

The findings are based on a survey of 801 women between the ages of 18 and 65. They found that body mass index (BMI) was not directly associated with how most women felt about their bodies. Some participants with high BMIs had a positive body image because they did not care what others thought about them.

On the other hand, some women with low BMI had poor self-esteem because they were overly concerned about what other people thought about their appearance.

Adolescents who lack self-confidence may benefit from boarding schools, many of which aim to provide help for troubled teens.