14 DAY TRIAL // A new, small-scale survey among women aged 18 to 65 in the UK made by the eating disorder charity the Succeed Foundation has revealed a startling truth: they are so unhappy with their body and how much they weight, they would trade at least one year of their life for the perfect figure.
Women are desperate to be slimmer, even when they’re of normal weight or, in some cases, even a bit underweight, the study has revealed as the Daily Mail informs.
How much they weigh is deeply connected in their mind with success and appreciation from others, even if they’re the only ones to put this much emphasis on appearance.
In fact, for women, appearances are so important that many of them would agree to live a year less if, in return, they got to have their idea of a perfect body.
Others would give up even more for the same thing: some respondents said they would be ok living a decade less, while others admitted to being willing to sacrifice family or friends for it.
“Many said they would also be willing to make other sacrifices in order to look better, with friends, family and academic success all valued less than looks,” the Mail writes.
“Some 13 per cent said they would take a £5,000 cut in salary, 8 per cent would forego a promotion at work and 6 per cent would give up getting a first in their degree,” the tab writes.
“Seven per cent would give up spending time with their family, 9 per cent their friends and 7 per cent would give up their health to achieve their ideal shape,” the Mail adds.
The good news is that only 30 percent of the 320 respondents said they would trade something this important for the perfect body.
Nevertheless, the study underlines the importance women pay to appearance – and how much frustration it leads to, as eating disorder expert Dr. Phillippa Diedrichs, from the University of the West of England, says.
“This really highlights how important appearance is for women. Unfortunately, body weight and shape is seen as not only an indicator of how beautiful they are and also often of a marker of success in their life,” Diedrichs explains.