Study Finds Family and Media Pressure on Thinness Varies by Cultural Group

A study published July 31, 2024, in PLOS ONE compared body appreciation and thin-ideal internalization among Chinese, white Western, and Black Nigerian women. The study found that Chinese and white Western women reported higher thin-ideal internalization than Black Nigerian women.

Chinese women reported the most pressure from family members and peers, while white Western women reported the most pressure from social media.

Louise Hanson, one of the study authors, said East Asian families often eat meals together, which leads to more frequent conversations about portion size. Hanson also noted that indirect comments from family or friends about their own bodies can lower body appreciation in others.

The study indicated that thin-ideal internalization among Chinese women remains consistent across their lifetimes, unlike white Western women whose views of thinness as ideal tended to decrease with age.

Scarlett Hao, a Chinese plus-size fashion influencer, said family, teachers, and peers in China encouraged intense dieting when she was younger. She added that Chinese beauty standards have not changed to reflect shifts in society. White Western women reported the lowest body appreciation of the three groups.

Nigerian women reported the highest body appreciation and experienced far less thin-ideal internalization. Hanson said Western media is spreading thinner body ideals globally. She noted that Nigerian American women may encounter media and peer pressure that is less common in Nigerian society.