The dieting habits of women across the Hunter are cause for concern with most expressing body dissatisfaction into their late 30s and 40s, a new study has revealed.
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Preliminary findings of a University of Newcastle study designed to examine the changing body shapes of women show that body image remains an issue for women at most stages of their lives.
“Body dissatisfaction is continuing for Australian women into their late 30s and 40s,” the study’s chief investigator Dr Amanda Patterson said.
“Whether outdated clothing sizing standards are a contributing factor remains unclear, but the increase in dieting practices seen for 35- to 44-year-olds is a cause for concern and is potentially having adverse effects on body composition.”
In May last year, dietetic researchers at the university began recruiting women aged 18 to 44 years from Maitland, Newcastle and Tamworth to examine the body shape and composition changes that have arisen over the past 15 years.
The average age of women included in the study was 28 years and most recorded a body mass index of 24.2.
A third had an overweight BMI but, of these, 30 per cent had percentage body fat within the healthy weight range.
Measures of fat distribution were significantly higher in rural areas compared with urban women, the study found.
More than 70 per cent of those in the study wanted to weigh less.
“Participants across every BMI and body fat category expressed weight dissatisfaction and desire to lose weight, and 20 per cent of respondents misclassified their own weight category,” Dr Patterson said.
Study participant and former Maitland resident Christina Wade said body image remained a huge problem for women of all ages.
“I feel pretty good about my body now, because I have been concentrating on my health and fitness, but it used to be quite negative,” the 22-year-old said.
“Body image is a big problem in our society because there is so much pressure. We put way too much stock in the scales and this whole thing is a major problem.”
This latest study is a repeat of Dr Patterson’s initial research project in 1999, which found that women were heavier, taller and bigger in every dimension than those of 1926.
The team will present its findings at the Dietitian’s Association Conference of Australia in Perth next week.