If anyone needed proof that today’s society is obsessed about physical appearance to the point of almost madness, here it is. According to a report from eating disorders charity The Succeed Foundation, compiled in association with the University of West England, almost a third of women would swap at least a year of their life for the ideal body and weight.
Specifically that breaks down as 16 percent willing to trade a year of their life for the ideal body/weight, 10 percent willing to trade two to five years, two percent who’d trade six to 10 years and a breathtakingly scary one percent who say they would give up 21 years or more of their life to look that good. TWENTY ONE YEARS.
So what else would women sacrifice for the perfect body? According to the survey, which was conducted by Dr Phillippa Diedrichs, 13 percent would give up £5,ooo from their annual salary. That’s not so bad, given that some people spend that much a year on beauty/cosmetic treatments anyway. But look at what else we say we’d give for the body beautiful: spending time with our friends or partners (nine percent), spending time with our families (seven percent), a promotion at work (eight percent) and our health (seven percent). Yes, our health.
Here’s what the press release says: “The survey results suggest that body dissatisfaction was common among the women surveyed…” You don’t say!
The survey quizzed 320 women studying at British universities, the average age of participants being 24.49 years. It’s common for women attending universities to have body image issues, the Succeed Foundation says. Is it just me, or is it highly alarming that the young women who are arguably the most intelligent among our population have so little intelligence when it comes to their health, not to mention their self-esteem?
Well perhaps the reason why women are so screwed up over body issues is highlighted in another survey, the results of which have also been announced today. According to a poll commissioned by payasUgym.com, three quarters of Brits say they’d feel less attracted to their partner if they (the partner, that is) put on weight. Not just that, but one in 10 men have admitted they’ve dumped a lover because she put on a few pounds. In fact, men were found to be twice as likely as women to ditch a partner for gaining weight.
“We were really surprised at how shallow some people could be,” says Neil Harmsworth, spokesperson for payasUgym.com.
Er, I don’t mean to be sexist, but shouldn’t that be how shallow some men could be, Neil?