Body Image: Understanding Body Dissatisfaction in Men, Women and Children

Fully revised and updated, Body Image 4^th Edition provides a comprehensive summary of research on body image in men, women, and children drawing together research findings from the fields of psychology, sociology, and gender studies.

The new edition presents all the latest research on body image including work on technology and body image, interventions to reduce body dissatisfaction, and links between body image, BMI, and clothing availability. Including data from interviews and focus groups with men, women, and children who have spoken about body image and its impact on the rest of their lives, the book explores a range of important contemporary issues, including the effects of social media and selfie-taking on body image, the work of activists and academics who are trying to change how the fashion industry presents women’s bodies, and new work investigating impacts of whole-body scanning technology and game-play avatars on appearance concern. Reflecting the direction of research on body image from a range of disciplines since the previous edition, the book also includes an increased focus on body image in men, looking at studies on pressures to be more muscular and toned, and evaluating the possible impacts on health-related behaviours such as exercise and body-related drug use.

The only sole-authored text in the field, and integrating work from several disciplines, this is essential reading for students and researchers in psychology, sociology, computing science, sport and exercise science, and gender studies, with an interest in reducing body dissatisfaction in men, women and children.

Sarah Grogan is Emeritus Professor at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. She has been involved in body image research since 1990. Her research centres on reducing body dissatisfaction in men, women, and children, with a particular focus on the impact of body image and related behaviors on physical health.