Factors that Influence Body Dissatisfaction: Comparisons across Culture and Gender

Attachment style and risk of muscle dysmorphia in a sample of male bodybuilders.

“…A recent cross-cultural, cross-gender research study (Hui & Brown, 2013) confirmed that a link exists between body dissatisfaction and anxious adult attachment among women. The researchers also found that men’s body dissatisfaction was as high as that of women.…”

“…The researchers also found that men’s body dissatisfaction was as high as that of women. However, Hui and Brown (2013) suggested that men are less inclined to indicate their dissatisfaction with their bodies and more inclined to find strategies to modify their body image, such as by resorting to doping, strict dieting, and excessive physical training. Other studies have found that men are less inclined to share their dissatisfaction about their bodies than women and that body image among men significantly impacts their sexual and romantic lives (Ambwani & Strauss, 2007; Traeen, Markovic, & Kvalem, 2016).…”

Associations between body dissatisfaction and self-reported anxiety and depression in otherwise healthy men: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…[26; 34], Australia (n = 1) [37], Hungary (n = 1) [31], Mexico (n = 1) [45], Serbia (n = 1) [38], Thailand (n = 1) [32], UK (United Kingdom) (n = 1) [40] or in multiple countries (n = 2) including US, Canada and Western Europe [39], and Australia and New Zealand [44]. Studies did not, however, vary according to their setting as 18 were conducted in academic institutions including colleges and universities [ [37]. The remaining six studies made no reference to any specific group and so appeared to target all otherwise healthy men, which were subsequently labelled as non-descriptive males [25; 27; 36; 38; 39; 41].…”

“…Not all studies investigating muscularity and thinness related body dissatisfaction found positive correlations with anxiety, such as Kelley et al [36], where muscularity and thinness related body dissatisfaction did not relate to anxiety in men. In addition to this, Hui and Brown [37] explored the relationship between body dissatisfaction and anxiety in men with different ethnicities; a negative association existed between body dissatisfaction and anxiety in Caucasian and acculturated and non-acculturated Chinese males.…”

“…Five studies did meet the eligibility criteria for the systematic review, but did not have data for inclusion in the present meta-analysis: Edman et al [24] used a mixed sex sample and did not clearly report the sample size of male participants; Kelley et al [36] did not calculate Pearson's Correlation Coefficient using variables for 'Drive for Muscularity' and/or 'Drive for Thinness' and 'Body Anxiety'; Hui and Brown [37] used a mixed sex sample and did not report separate results for males, despite gender having been reported to influence the relationship between variables; El Ansari et al [40] did not calculate Pearson's Correlation Coefficient using variables for 'Body Image Concern' and 'Depressive Symptoms'; and Andrade et al [45] did not calculate Pearson's Correlation Coefficient using variables for 'Estimation of Weight Status' and 'Depression'.…”