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Women who are told men desire women with larger bodies are happier with their weight

Results of three independent studies suggest a woman’s body image is strongly linked to her perception of what she thinks men prefer

Originally Posted: Jan. 12, 2015

SMU Research Blog

Telling women that men desire larger women who aren’t model-thin made the women feel better about their own weight in a series of new studies.

Results of the three independent studies suggest a woman’s body image is strongly linked to her perception of what she thinks men prefer, said lead researcher and social psychologist Andrea Meltzer, Southern Methodist University, Dallas.

How women perceive men’s preferences influenced each woman’s body image independent of her actual body size and weight.

“On average, heterosexual women believe that heterosexual men desire ultra-thin women,” said Meltzer, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at SMU. “Consequently, this study suggests that interventions that alter women’s perception regarding men’s desires for ideal female body sizes may be effective at improving women’s body image.”

The findings could have significant implications for women’s health and well-being, Meltzer said. READ MORE

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