Two constant universe laws have never changed before: Girls want to be thinner, and guys stronger. It’s always been a personal war against our physical image, checking calories and proteins on regular food, or the calamity that can be to sign up to a gym and actually going. But this may not be the case anymore since plus size models are making it into the fashion world.
Recent studies have shown that on the course of this last decades, women are starting to feel better about their bodies, and actually accepting the curvy shape.
The study was made by Dr. Brian Karazsia, with the aid of the College of Wooster in Ohio. The data came from over 250 studies between 1981 and 2012, focusing on weight and how people feel about their appearance.
Overall, the study reviewed over 100.000 people. After careful examination, and realizing that this study doesn’t apply in the same way to men, they conducted a meta-analysis focusing on muscular size. This last one gathered 81 studies over a 14 year period over the course of the last decade.
After careful examination, and realizing that this study doesn’t apply in the same way to men, they conducted a meta-analysis focusing on muscular size. This last one gathered 81 studies over a 14 year period over the course of the last decade.
The result showed that, while women suffered from discomfort with their body image since 1981, this dissatisfaction has decreased with the passing of eras. With the popularity of plus size models in recent years, and social media personalities promoting the muscular body building over the thinner one, women have felt less and less depressed over their overweight situation. That is why for plus size ladies this new trend could be a positive solution for girls that suffer from eating disorders.
“When we consider humans in the United States, where most studies in our review were conducted, are physically larger than they have ever been, with more than two-thirds of adults being overweight or obese, one might expect body dissatisfaction should be increasing. But we found the opposite,” said Dr. Karazsia, as reported by the American Psychological Association.
The doctor also commented on how beneficial this would be to his family. He has two young daughters and feels that it is just a matter of time before he will see them deal with problems with their image.
Although ladies still feel more dissatisfaction with their physical self than men, this dissatisfaction is decreasing. However, it hasn’t been all too well for guys. The same study indicates that the need for bigger muscles had been constant for men. Maybe we can expect in future years for guys to actually care more about how they look than women. Who knows? A time for changing gender roles might be upon us.
Source: APA