Understanding Body Image Dissatisfaction and Disordered Eating in Midlife Adults

Research on body image and eating behaviours is well established in young adults. However, less is known about body image and eating behaviours in women and men in midlife (30-60 years), and it is an age when certain biological, psychological, and social changes occur that can challenge body image. This study aimed to explore the gender similarities and differences in body dissatisfaction and disordered eating in midlife with a convenience sample of 187 women and 48 men using an online survey. Midlife women had greater body dissatisfaction and disordered eating than midlife men, and obese women reported the greatest body image dissatisfaction and disordered eating. There was insufficient power to detect weight group differences for men, although a reasonable proportion of the men (8-17%) scored above the norms for body image dissatisfaction (compared to 28-41% of the women). Body image and eating concerns are important health issues for midlife adults that warrant further research, especially with regard to men.