[A comparison of a subjective evaluation of male and female bodies ranging from 19 to 25 years of age].

PURPOSE

The aim of this work was to compare body image in females and males, and particularly to investigate overall level of dissatisfaction with the body and its areas, as well as the examination of level of its discrimination and relations between different body parts evaluation.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study was carried out on 74 males and 145 females aged 19 to 25. Color-A Person Body Dissatisfaction Test (CAPT) of O.W. Wooley authorship was used as the research tool. The tool is meant to measure emotional aspect of body image in adults. The research was anonymous.

CONCLUSIONS

Females are more dissatisfied with their bodies then men and particularly in the lower torso areas. Greater body mass is associated with greater dissatisfaction with one's body in females, but in males it is not unequivocally connected with negative evaluation of the body. Both in males and females, greater discrimination of body image is related to greater dissatisfaction of one's body, and body image of women is more discriminated than that of males. Both in females and males, there are strong relationships between evaluation of adherent body areas, that is lower limbs, center of the body, upper limbs and the chest area.