Changing Body Shapes and Perceptions
Obesity rates have been rising in the UK, as they have in most
of the developed world. This has been linked to a number of
factors, including increasing consumption of foods with high levels
of fat and sugar, and more sedentary lifestyles.
At the same time, the preoccupation with celebrity lifestyles,
and the popularity of TV programmes, such as Embarrassing
Bodies and How to Look Good Naked, mean that people
feel under more pressure than ever to look good. This has
traditionally been associated with young women in particular, but
is spreading to other groups, with reports of 'manorexia' affecting
young men who want to look like male models, and those of more
mature years having an increasing number of glamorous older role
models to live up to.
This report examines consumers' perceptions of their own bodies
- what they like and dislike about them, how they are changing over
time, and what they are and are not prepared to do to change
them.
Topics covered include:
Body likes and dislikes
Body changes over time
Our relationship with our weight
Weight loss methods
Exercise and the use of gyms and health clubs
Attitudes towards cosmetic surgery.
To download a table of contents for this report, click here.