The myth that women grow more confident in their bodies with age has been dispelled by new research from the Butterfly Foundation today.
Just nine per cent of those aged between 61 and 80 report feeling “very confident” about their bodies, compared to 20 per cent recorded among those aged 16 to 30 and the same figure again for those aged 31 to 45.
While men are twice as likely as women to say they feel very confident about their bodies (19 per cent compared with 9 per cent for women), women are twice as likely to describe themselves as feeling very unconfident (8 per cent compared with 4 per cent).
One of the starkest gender gaps came from the two in five women (or 41 per cent) who reported receiving a remark about their appearance that stayed with them for life, compared with just 19 per cent of men.
Regardless of age or gender, these figures, based on a survey of 1059 Australians, highlight the extent of body image dissatisfaction across the country.
And one of the more surprising (and saddening) findings of the research is that relief from body dissatisfaction doesn’t come with age. Rather, it gets worse as cultural and social pressures build.
As Melissa Wilton, who leads community and engagement at Butterfly Foundation said on the findings: “Body image is something that affects people across every generation, and this research shows how our confidence can shift over time and be shaped by any influencers throughout life.”
These accumulating pressures include comments from others about appearance, as well as comparison with others—all elements that have been perpetuated on social media. These factors appear to slowly erode much of the confidence younger men and women once had in their bodies, with the one in five feeling “very confident” dropping to just under one in ten later on — and to less than one in 20 for those aged 80 and over.
Butterfly Foundation is now leading a campaign encouraging candid conversations about body image across generations, hoping to see Australians of all ages share experiences and perspectives, and building on those already shared by a diverse group of Australians including Hannah Ferguson, Dr Preeya Alexander, Mark Beretta and Abiola Oreyomi. They’re hoping to see conversations between parents and teenagers, friends, and across generations — with the idea of building a culture where people can engage with and listen to others’ experiences and feel more supported and confident in their own bodies.
The campaign also hopes to encourage people to use social media settings to change what they see on platforms, including Instagram’s “Reset suggested content” feature, which refreshes recommendations on what users see across reels and explore.
For confidential, free support for eating disorders and body image concerns, connect with the Butterfly National Helpline, available seven days a week from 8am to midnight (AEDT), by calling 1800 ED HOPE (1800 33 4673), or visit www.butterfly.org.au to chat online or email.