The fashion and beauty industries are increasingly emphasizing self-affirmation and self-esteem, but do women truly feel at ease in their own skin? According to a new research, women are typically unsatisfied with their bodies, but self-esteem rises with age, peaking — albeit relative — around 60 years old.

One may believe that youth equals self-assurance, but this is not the case, according to a new study done by Australian and New Zealand researchers* Body Image, Volume 39, December 2021, Pages 114-124. Scientists from Griffith, Auckland, and Queensland universities were interested in the degree of satisfaction with body image among 15,264 participants, approximately 63 percent of whom were women, aged 18 to 94. They used longitudinal data spanning at least six years, from 2010 to 2015, to perform their research.

Is it better to prioritize your health above your physical appearance? 

The study, which was published in the Body Image journal, found that individuals got more content with their bodies over time, albeit the upward trend did not appear to be rapid. Self-esteem was low among the younger women, but it grew as they got older, especially around the age of 60. The study does not entirely explain this phenomena, but it does give some theories as to why this would be the case.

The researchers state in their paper that as individuals get older, they may place a greater emphasis on how the body operates rather than how it looks. In other words, health would take precedence above physical attractiveness, potentially lowering aesthetic standards.

Reduced social stress 

However, cultural pressures may also play a part in these findings, since they may have an impact on our perceptions of our bodies. Attempting to comply to such notions of beauty at all costs — or, more accurately, the fear of not being able to do so — might have a negative impact on self-esteem. According to the study, such pressure in women may decrease with time. It should be observed that this gain in body image satisfaction with time is very marginal; women in their 60s are still concerned about their looks, albeit at a lesser extent than younger women.

Finally, the researchers were interested in men’s self-perception; they demonstrated overall greater levels of contentment with their body image than women, however this improves over time.