Insights

 

 Dive into the latest news and research insights from our global team.

We write about all things body image, appearance diversity and mental health.

 
 

 Explore our insights

 
Phillippa Diedrichs Phillippa Diedrichs

“Don’t worry m’ija, these days you can correct everything with plastic surgery”: Research insights on Body Image and Beauty in Latin America from a leading Mexican Scholar

In the contemporary world, beauty standards have become an integral part of societal norms, often shaping individuals' perceptions of themselves and others. In Latin America, the discourse surrounding body image and beauty is complex, influenced by historical, cultural, and socio-economic factors. Despite the region's rich diversity and vibrant culture, there remains a dearth of comprehensive research on this topic. This blog post aims to shed light on the nuanced dynamics of body image and beauty trends in Latin America, drawing insights from the research of leading Mexican scholar, Aline Tinoco Marquina

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Phillippa Diedrichs Phillippa Diedrichs

How Emotion Rules Social Media

On average, people spend about 2 hours and 24 minutes on social media per day. Why is social media so addictive? How does emotion play an important part in this? This article looks at how refocusing social media marketing strategies on communities rather than individuals can improve mental health.

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Phillippa Diedrichs Phillippa Diedrichs

Shaking the Stigma - How Mental Health is Gaining a New Reputation in India

This article focuses on India’s gradually increasing engagement with mental health issues and recent initiatives by the government, non-profit organizations, mental health professionals and celebrities to challenge the silence and stigma around mental illness and its treatment in the country.

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Phillippa Diedrichs Phillippa Diedrichs

Big Business and Body Image: Insights from fashion, beauty, and advertising leaders on how businesses can and should address the grand challenge of negative body image

A few years ago, as part of my award-winning PhD research, I spoke with 45 senior executives working in fashion, beauty, or advertising to learn how they saw their industry’s role in addressing negative body image. I wanted to understand the opportunities, challenges, and barriers they experienced (or perceived) in instigating positive action on the topic of body image – both at an individual and company level. This article shares some selected insights.

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Phillippa Diedrichs Phillippa Diedrichs

“What can your body do?” : How brands and organisations can support women’s body confidence by focusing on body functionality

What would happen if we encouraged women to reflect on what their body can do, rather than on how their body looks? That is, what if we asked women to appreciate their body functionality? Our research has shown that focusing on one’s own body functionality can contribute to improvements in body image, potentially by helping to counteract societal and internalised pressures to emphasise one’s appearance.

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Phillippa Diedrichs Phillippa Diedrichs

Courageously disrupting diet culture within the fitness industry using positive body image principles

Diet culture has plagued the fitness industry and society more broadly since the 1800’s. Therefore, a shift in attitudes, values and beliefs will not occur overnight. In order for all bodies to feel welcomed and encouraged within movement spaces, we need individual and collective change to occur. Read more to find out how the fitness industry can coexist with positive body image.

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