Body image as a global mental health concern

Rachel F Rodgers; Katherine Laveway; Priscila Campos; Pedro Henrique Berbert de Carvalho

doi:10.1017/gmh.2023.2

Body image as a global mental health concern

Glob Ment Health (Camb). 2023 Feb 27:10:e9. doi: 10.1017/gmh.2023.2. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Rachel F Rodgers^{1

2}, Katherine Laveway¹, Priscila Campos³, Pedro Henrique Berbert de Carvalho^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ APPEAR, Department of Applied Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
² Department of Psychiatric Emergency & Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHRU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
³ NICTA, Body Image and Eating Disorders Research Group, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Brazil.
⁴ AMBULIM, Eating Disorders Program, Institute of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Abstract

Body image concerns related to weight or other dimensions of appearance are now prevalent on a global scale. This paper reviews the theoretical frameworks that account for the global similarities and regional differences in rates and presentation of body image concerns, as well as reviewing the extant data. Given the harmful consequences of body image concerns in terms of mental and physical health, their global burden is high. Interventions to mitigate these concerns at the individual and systemic level are warranted.

Keywords: appearance; body image; culture; global; mental health.

Publication types

Review