Ideation of Body Image and its Relevance to Health

ABSTRACT

Globalization and urbanization have greatly affected one's life style, perception, rate of acceptance as well as eating habits. In the present era human beings have many concerns about their development, about size and shape of body, skin condition, attractiveness and approval by their friends. Body image is a multifaceted psychological construct that includes subjective attitudinal and perceptual experiences about one‟s body, particularly its appearance. The impact of globalization on body image and health are simultaneously positive and negative varying according to factors such as geographical location, gender, age, ethnic origin, education level, and socioeconomic status. In childhood, the influential beings are caretakers and with increasing age social factors and peers have greater influence. Media plays profound role on body image. There are evidences to support that body image concerns and dissatisfaction are serious problem and it is linked to nutritional status. Besides several primary prevention strategies psychotherapeutic, exercise and health based educational interventions are needed to overcome negative body image. There is an urgent need to move from traditional research to translational research and finally to transformative research transformative research in context of body image.