title: Temporal changes in anthropometric measurements of idealized females and young women in general.
abstract: This study examined the temporal anthropometric changes in idealized female body images in the media (i.e., Playboy magazine Playmates of the Year, Miss America Pageant winners, and fashion models) and young women in general across eight decades. Overall, all anthropometric measures differed significantly over time. BMI for all women in the idealized groups tended to decline significantly over time, while the BMI for YoungWomen increased significantly. Models tended to have the smallest bust and hips, Playmates the largest bust, and young women in general the largest waist and hips. The general trend for all groups was to move from a less curvaceous body shape in the early part of the twentieth century to a more curvaceous shape at mid-century and returning to a less curvaceous shape at the end of the century. Idealized women have a body size unlike that of Young Women and the chasm between the media- defined ideal and reality is continuing to diverge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family & Community Health Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA. bredbenner@aesop.rutgers.edu
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Byrd-Bredbenner
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Yvette R
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Schlussel
mesh_terms: D001504:Beauty; D001505:Beauty Culture / Q000639:trends; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D004882:Erotica; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012016:Reference Values; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D012922:Social Change; D012938:Social Perception; D012945:Social Values; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States