The Today Show and AOL recently teamed up to survey more than 2,000 adults and 200 teenagers about body image. What they found in the “Ideal to Real Body Image Survey” may surprise you!
Here are some of the most startling stats:
Women spend 335 hours per year working on their appearance.
On average, women spend what is equivalent to two weeks of the year dressing and grooming themselves. This breaks down to 55 minutes per day spent applying makeup, picking out an outfit, styling hair and performing other appearance-related tasks.
Women worry more about their appearance than their job, finances or health.
Sixty-seven percent of women worry at least once a week about their appearance, compared to women who worry about:
- Finances – 62 percent of women
- Health – 49 percent
- Family/relationships – 46 percent
- Professional success – 40 percent
Moms, in particular, worry about the way they look — 73 percent of moms worry about their appearance, compared to 65 percent of women who don’t have any children. Fifty-seven percent of mothers worry about how their body image affects their children.
The best age for body acceptance is 27 years old.
Men and women agreed that they felt the best about their body at 27 years old. However, the research findings showed that body image does improve with age. Eighty percent of women under the age of 24 worry regularly about their appearance, but that number falls to 52 percent among women ages 55 and older.
Not-So-Surprising Stats
The study also confirmed some things that aren’t so surprising. Namely, that women like to complain about their appearance to others. Seventy-seven percent of adult women and 80 percent of teenage girls complain at least once a week to someone about their appearance. The two biggest complaints? “Fat talk” or “old talk.”
Also not surprising: Most women worry about their butt, skin, thighs and hair.
The average woman worries about six body parts, compared to the average man, who only worries about three.
Improve Your Self-Image with Cosmetic Treatment
As this data illustrates, it’s completely normal to worry about your appearance and self-image. You are not alone in caring about what you look like and the image that you project to the world.
However, if you feel self-conscious or critical of the way you look, these feelings can seep into other parts of your life and negatively affect your career, personal relationships and overall attitude.
At Burt & Will Plastic Surgery and Laser Centre, we can help you feel more confident and comfortable with your appearance through a range of surgical and non-surgical cosmetic enhancement procedures. Don’t underestimate the effect that a physical change to your appearance can have on the way you feel. You might be surprised at how a seemingly minor, non-invasive procedure significantly improves your appearance and the way you carry yourself.