B Y T E A M B O L D A N D B E A U T I F U L : J E N N J O H N S O N , M A R I S A R O S E N B E R G E R , M O N I C A L E E , A N D S T E P H

G U Y R E

FEMALE BODY IMAGE IN LATE ADULTHOOD

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM

• There are multiple reasons for poor body image to continue into the latter decades of life. Women’s bodies change with age.

• “For women, desire to be thinner does not differ between age groups, nor does concern about eating and weight, preoccupation with being overweight, body esteem, satisfaction with appearance , or satisfaction with body parts.”

DEMOGRAPHICS

• According to the U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey of 2012 the older women population 65 years and over, makes up 14.7 percent of the population

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

• Objectification Theory: • Women internalize the observer’s perspective• Changes in the life course can trigger mental issues that lead

to negative body image• Women’s socialization often includes sexual objectification

• Continuity Theory:• Older adults prefer to maintain continuity of internal and

external structures and attempt to accomplish this with methods that worked in the past

• As they age, many women can’t use the same body maintenance methods that worked when they were younger

• Many women struggle to integrate aging appearance with feelings of youth

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Young Adulthood Older Adulthood

Body image is linked to weight

Body image is linked to aging

Issues with body image has public attention

Issues with body image are largely ignored

Many women can implement diet and exercise changes to combat negative body image

Many women can’t implement diet and exercise changes to combat negative body image

Ideal body type is linked to media representations

Ideal body type is linked to past body type

Many women experience a negative body image

Many women experience a negative body image

BIOLOGICAL FACTORS • Body image is more than just appearance, but also how

one's body functions.• Extreme or “yo-yo” dieting can cause extreme health

problems in women 65 and older.• In cases of breast cancer, women who chose to have

breast conserving surgery vs. a double mastectomy showed higher self-esteem.

PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS

• Body dissatisfaction has been associated with less self-reported happiness, avoiding physical intimacy, anxiety, depression, poor self-esteem, and lower overall quality of life (Marshall, 2012).

• Low self-esteem can cause depression, anxiety, and isolation.

• Decreased sexual function can lead to low self-esteem, which can cause anxiety disorders, depression, and isolation.

SOCIAL FACTORS

• “Old woman” stereotype perpetuates ideas of what a woman should look like in late adulthood.• Stereotypes assuming

that women in late adulthood are too frail to exercise or take care of their bodies.• Ageism becomes an

issue in the workplace.

CULTURAL FACTORS

• 11 out of 13 women aged 60-79 expressed some level of dissatisfaction with certain aspects of their bodies (Halliwell, Dittmar, 2003, p.680).

• Media places an extreme emphasis on youthfulness

• Anti-aging products have become a cultural norm

• “Aging as a disease”

FAMILY INFLUENCES & ISSUES

• Completion of daily tasks and routine • Family is instrumental

in assisting with difficult functions• Support from her

partner can be reassuring• Loss of a partner can

affect how a woman sees her body

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

• There is very little research on how an aging woman’s body image can/will change as she ages.

• There is minimal research on how bodily changes will affect an aging woman’s morale.

• To work with women in older adulthood ethically, we must gain a better understanding of the issue of aging and body image.

PRACTICE RECOMMENDATIONS

• We must educate ourselves and clients that body image concerns is not just for the young generation but it continues into late adulthood due to many reasons such as chronic health issues.

• Because most concerns about body image are a continuing factor throughout women’s life, we should start the education and awareness of body dissatisfaction earlier