Why does Western Culture Idealise the Thin Ideal Body?

In Western societies we receive a barrage of messages that echo: Thin is better. We all know that western culture idealises the thin body ideal. It’s accepted as the norm in our culture, as the standard that we should all aspire to. This isn’t just a fleeting preference – it’s a deeply ingrained ideal that shapes how we see ourselves and others, often leading to a relentless pursuit of skinniness.

Many of us strive to be slimmer – ask any person whether they would like to lose some weight, and the answer would almost inevitably be yes. But why this obsession? Why is this thin ideal so important to us? And how can the pursuit of being slender contribute to the development of eating disorders? We can’t deny that western culture applies pressure for us to achieve this thin ideal, influencing our thoughts, feelings and choices – sometimes in very unhealthy ways.

Let’s delve into the complex web of factors that contribute to this powerful and often damaging cultural phenomenon.

Defining beauty

Beauty is often defined by the collective ideas of our society— what is positive and desirable. Whether through spoken work, visual media, online content, or influencers, our culture creates numerous definitions of what is beautiful and worthy. Is beauty in the eye of the beholder? Or is it defined by the culture and context of the day? The latter influences beauty significantly more than we often care to acknowledge. The world around us plays a major role in shaping our thinking and behaviour about beauty.

Being influenced by those around us falls to the basic principles of social learning. Even as young children we are influenced in our definition of beauty by family members (our micro-society) as we develop. Later, in teenage years, we’re also significantly influenced by our social peers and what others think of us. Being viewed as beautiful provides us a path to be accepted, and this becomes a focal point in our thinking by wanting to adhere to what those around us define as good enough and worthy. This need for acceptance is not easy to resist, or rebel against. The pressure we can feel in our search of acceptance (to be beautiful enough) can weight heavy on those with vulnerable self-esteems, or those searching for connection with others.

How the “ideal” body evolves with time

The definition of beauty is not fixed – it constantly evolves with new influences at play. And so, the quest to be beautiful shifts with it, chasing the next thing we believe will make us more appealing in the eyes of society. Throughout history, different body types have been celebrated, influenced by cultural and social trends.

The 20th century, in particular, saw a significant shift in Western society’s perception of the ideal body. The different events, icons and attitudes of the changing times exerted considerable influence over perceptions of different body types. These changes are easily noted when studying the changes in mannequins through the decades.

Since their introduction, shop mannequins have reflected fashion trends, and they provide a history of how body trends have changed. Emerging in shop windows in the 1920s, they served as a marketing tool intended to encourage the passer-by to imagine themselves in the clothes on display. As department stores began to feature increasingly large window displays, the mannequin quickly became synonymous with the ideal body type, defining what most aspired to look like.

In the earlier part of the 20^th century, a fuller figure was once associated with wealth and status (particularly in times of food scarcity), with woman strongly aspiring to achieve this ideal body shape. However, as food become more readily available and sedentary lifestyles increased, the ability to be thin became associated with the body ideal. The post-war 1950s period saw the introduction of more curvaceous figures, championed by celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe. Mannequins soon mirrored this new ideal – male figures became larger and bulkier, and female figures became fuller-bodied and hourglass in shape.

Moving in through the 60s and 70s, mannequins resembled more toned and athletic bodies to the likes of Jane Fonda and Olivia Newton-John. By the 1990s, styles began to imitate the slim frames of Kate Moss and other supermodels, which saw mannequin’s hips narrowing significantly. This influence continues until today, with social media and icons like Taylor Swift and Beyonce’ influencing their followers by defining fashion and beauty trends.

Weight stigma and Fat phobia

Western culture often exhibits a strong fat phobia – a fear of gaining weight. This fear is perpetuated by negative stereotypes associating fatness with laziness, ugliness, and failure. This societal weight stigma can lead individuals to internalize negative attitudes towards larger bodies, including their own, driving a desire to be thin to avoid this stigma. The phenomenon of “fat talk”, where individuals frequently criticize their own weight and body shape can be seen as a manifestation of this fat phobia and a focus on negative comparisons with the thin ideal.

In recent years, alongside the thin ideal, a healthy ideal has emerged, often promoted through wellness culture. While seemingly positive, this can sometimes inadvertently reinforce anti-fat attitudes by strongly emphasizing the need to control one’s weight through diet and exercise to achieve a healthy body, which is often still equated with thinness.

The role of media and social platforms

Perhaps the most visible architect of the thin ideal is the mass media. From glossy magazine covers showcasing impossibly slender models to television shows and films featuring predominantly thin actors, we are constantly bombarded with images that equate thinness with beauty, success, happiness, and desirability.

Research has shown that the average weight of fashion models has decreased significantly since the 1950s, while the average Australian woman’s weight has increased. This growing disparity between reality and the promoted ideal has created a perfect storm for body image concerns and eating disorders.

In Perth and across Western Australia, the rise of social media has intensified exposure to unrealistic body standards. A 2023 study by the Telethon Kids Institute found that young Western Australians spend an average of 6.7 hours daily on social media, where they encounter countless filtered and edited images promoting the thin ideal.

In the digital age, social media acts as a powerful amplifier of the thin ideal. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok are awash with carefully curated images of seemingly flawless, often very thin, individuals. This fosters negative social comparison, where individuals constantly measure themselves against these unrealistic online personas, leading to feelings of inadequacy and a stronger desire to be thin. The algorithms controlling our online experiences tend to amplify content promoting wellness and fitness lifestyles, which often mask disordered eating behaviours behind a veneer of health consciousness.

The global influence of western beauty standards

The idealization of thinness, once largely confined to Western cultures, is increasingly spreading through globalisation and the reach of Western media. With social media being accessible to the rest of the world, numerous cultures are exposed to the western ideal beauty standards.

Different cultures and ethnicities have their own values regarding standards of beauty. However, with the media increasingly promoting the western ideal, other races and cultures around the world face more dissatisfaction with their bodies as they perceive these westernised standards to be ideal. This shows how the western beauty standards are portrayed to other cultures, it is showcased to be unattainable and unrealistic, but still deemed the ideal by our society. This ultimately leads to more cases of eating disorders and mental health issues around the world as people want and attempt to obtain the ideal body.

The thin ideal and eating disorders

The desire to be thin is not solely driven by external pressures. Psychological factors also play a significant role. One of my recent clients described the impact of weight loss on her psyche:

“I feel like weight loss is the only mechanism to become happy in life. Achieving a thin body gives me self-acceptance and happiness. It’s the shape and weight that society expects of a woman. The more I lose weight, I feel more in control, and I feel so much better about myself. I know I can become obsessed about it, but I can’t help it. As I lose more weight, it’s like I start feeling like a new person, a better person…”

In a world where individuals may feel a lack of control in other aspects of their lives, regulating food intake and pursuing thinness can provide a sense of agency and control. This can be particularly relevant for individuals who struggle with perfectionistic tendencies, have vulnerable self-esteems, and struggle with insecurities. For some, their self-worth can become overly tied to body image, believing that being thin is a sign of self-control and discipline, or my self-worth is measured by how thin I am. Such belief can fuel a relentless pursuit of thinness.

The economic profitability of the thin ideal

Another underpinning to the thin ideal is its economic profitability. The diet industry thrives on our insecurities about our bodies, offering a constant stream of new diets, weight loss products, and exercise regimes. This perpetuates the message that our natural bodies are somehow flawed and in need of fixing, further reinforcing the desirability of thinness.

The diet industry is worth billions of dollars annually, relying on their ability to make being thin fashionable and aspirational, creating demand in young and old alike to pursue unattainable standards, while selling solutions to fix perceived flaws or provide quick results. This industry constantly promotes dieting as a means to achieve happiness, health and attractiveness.

Diet culture often promote the idea that weight is entirely within our control, neglecting the complex interplay of genetics, metabolism, and other factors that determine our body size and shape. When diets inevitably fail for many, it can lead to feelings of personal failure and further fuel the cycle of body dissatisfaction and restrictive eating.

Breaking free from the thin ideal

Society is starting to recognise the negative, and potential destructive impact the pressures of being thin can place on vulnerable people, which may contribute to them developing eating disorders. As awareness grows about the impact of the thin ideal, we have seen a rise in body-inclusive movements, promoting body positivity.

These approaches encourage individuals to value their bodies for their functionality and uniqueness, to resist internalizing unrealistic media ideals, and to focus on health and well-being regardless of size. By fostering critical thinking about societal appearance standards, embracing size diversity, and reducing weight bias, we can begin to dismantle the harmful obsession with thinness and create a more inclusive and accepting culture.

The journey to recovery often involves understanding and challenging these cultural narratives. Within treatment, we incorporate discussions surrounding this topic to educate, and hopefully challenge the thin ideal. In this way, recovery is not only focussed on changing certain behaviours, but recognising and resisting harmful societal and cultural messages.

Conclusion

The relentless obsession with the thin ideal in Western culture has significant negative consequences for individuals’ mental and physical health. It contributes to widespread body dissatisfaction, low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and significantly increases the risk of developing eating disorders. It also fosters a culture of self-criticism and judgment, hindering individuals from embracing their bodies and living fulfilling lives.

The idealisation of the thin body in Western culture is not just another trend, but a deeply fixed cultural norm influenced by historical, societal, and economic factors. The pervasive nature of media, deeply ingrained societal values, early family messages, underlying psychological factors, and the relentless promotion of diet culture all contribute to this enduring obsession.

Understanding these multifaceted influences is the first step towards challenging this unattainable ideal and fostering a culture that celebrates body diversity and promotes positive body image for all.

It’s time to shift our focus from the narrow pursuit of thinness to a broader appreciation of health, well-being, and the inherent worth of every body. The journey to self-acceptance starts with realising and rejecting the unrealistic beauty standards enforced by society. It is important that we create a culture where health is viewed all-inclusive, emphasising the importance of mental health, self-worth, and physical health. By embracing a more inclusive and realistic definition of beauty, we can create a society and culture that values every body, regardless of size or shape, where people look beyond these unrealistic expectations regarding the pressures of the “thin ideal.”

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If you’re struggling with body image concerns or an eating disorder, remember that help is available. Reverence Recovery offers specialised treatment for those struggling with an eating disorder. Our Telehealth treatment option allows us to treat those afflicted anywhere in Australia, whether metro or regional. You don’t have to walk the recovery journey alone.

Ready to take the first step towards recovery? Visit Reverence Recovery to book a consultation. We’re here to help you navigate your path to healing.