Body Image and Aging

Body image refers to the way in which people see themselves with regard to their bodies and the way [Page 227]they feel about their bodies. Body image can be either positive or negative. Positive body image means that the body is seen accurately and the individual is reasonably comfortable with his or her bodily appearance. People with negative body images have inaccurate perceptions of all or part of their bodies and struggle with uncomfortable feelings about them. At least within Western cultures, negative body image is related to eating disorders and other mental health problems. A person’s body image might be related to his or her physical appearance, though the two do not necessarily coincide. Additionally, body image appears to be related to images in ...