American culture, as depicted in movies, magazines and advertising, places great emphasis on how women look, with the ideal often being unrealistic and unachievable for most women. Virginia Ramseyer Winter, a University of Missouri assistant professor and researcher, studies body image in relation to women’s physical, mental, and sexual health. According to her research, poor body image can be damaging to more than just a woman’s health. She has found that when women have a negative or poor body image, they tend to engage in riskier health behaviors, such as unsafe sex or substance abuse. Ramseyer Winter believes parents and social media can help young women overcome these issues.
“For many women, their views of their body are influenced by mainstream popular culture, however unrealistic those images may be,” said Ramseyer Winter. “This leads a majority of women, regardless of their size, to be dissatisfied with their body, even when they know they are comparing their bodies to unrealistic ideals. This is significant as women who have negative views of their bodies are at greater risk to engage in risky behaviors, such as unsafe sex or tobacco use.”
