Media influences on attitudes and perceptions toward the body among adult men and women

The current study investigated media influences on men\u27s and women\u27s body perception. Participants were 60 men and 60 women. Men overestimated their chest, waist, and thighs and underestimated their hips. Women overestimated the size of all body parts. Men\u27s and women\u27s perception of their body was not predicted by media exposure or attitudes to the media. Both men\u27s and women\u27s ideal body was different from their current bodies. Attitudes and exposure to the media predicted men\u27s (but not women\u27s) perceptions of the ideal body held by the media, as well as both men\u27s and women\u27s ideal chest and waist. These findings suggest that the media has an impact on the ideal body size of both men and women