Body Image, Attractiveness, and Sexual Satisfaction among Midlife Women: A Qualitative Study
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: Women often undergo physical changes during the menopause transition, but the relationship between body image and sexual function in midlife is unclear. We used a qualitative approach to explore how body image relates to sexual function and satisfaction in midlife women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted 19 individual interviews and 3 focus groups (total N = 39) among sexually active women 45-60 years of age using a semistructured guide. Sessions were audiorecorded and transcribed. Two investigators developed a codebook using an iterative process; the primary investigator then coded all data. Codes relating to body image were examined to identify key themes. RESULTS: The mean age was 58 (range 46-59); 54% were White, 36% Black, and 10% were of another race. Most (72%) were peri- or postmenopausal. All but two women identified as heterosexual. Feeling attractive was an important reason for sexual activity. Changes in appearance, especially weight gain and breast changes, were common among these women. Women's body image impacted their sexual satisfaction; women who felt self-conscious about their bodies reported that these concerns had a negative impact on their sexual satisfaction, whereas women who felt confident discussed better sexual satisfaction, even in the face of bodily changes. Black women were more likely to discuss feeling confident than White women. CONCLUSIONS: Feeling attractive is important to sexual satisfaction in midlife women. Bodily changes, especially weight gain, are common during midlife. While many women are self-conscious about their appearance, some women develop increased self-acceptance. Supporting positive body image may help midlife women maintain sexual satisfaction with aging.
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Objectification of women leads to heightened self-surveillance and comparisons, reinforcing dissatisfaction and self-criticism.
“This objectification can lead to heightened self-surveillance, where women constantly monitor their bodies and engage in comparisons with others, reinforcing a cycle of dissatisfaction and self-criticism [139].”
From Body Perceptions and Psychological Well-Being: A Review of the Impact of Social Media and Physical Measurements on Self-Esteem and Mental Health with a Focus on Body Image Satisfaction and Its Relationship with Cultural and Gender Factors (2024) · cites this paper as [139]
The Introduction (page not provided) discusses body comparison and self-monitoring, and the Discussion reports self-consciousness and dissatisfaction among women in the study. Neither section attributes these experiences to objectification or describes a cycle in which surveillance and comparison reinforce self-criticism. (LLM, conf=0.82)
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Merino, M., Tornero-Aguilera, J. F., Rubio-Zarapuz, A., Villanueva-Tobaldo, C. V., Martín-Rodríguez, A., & Clemente-Suárez, V. J. (2024) · Healthcare · doi:10.3390/healthcare12141396 · Cited by 349 · see citing works
“This objectification can lead to heightened self-surveillance, where women constantly monitor their bodies and engage in comparisons with others, reinforcing a cycle of dissatisfaction and self-criticism [139].”
Background
- Authors
- Thomas, H. N., Hamm, M., Borrero, S., Hess, R., & Thurston, R. C.
- Affiliations
- University of Pittsburgh (US)
- University of Utah (US)
- Corresponding author
- Thomas, Holly N.
- Venue
- Journal of Women s Health
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2019-01
- Volume
- 28
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 100-106
- ISSN
- 1059-7115 (ISSN-L)
- 1540-9996
- 1931-843X
- PMC
- PMC6343186
- OpenAlex
- W2897775433
- Cited by
- 94
- References
- 54
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 4.92
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Journal of Women s Health (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- University of Pittsburgh (UL1-TR-001,857)
- National Institutes of Health (UL1TR001857)
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (K12HS022989)
- National Institute on Aging (K23AG052628)
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (K24HL123565)
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Sexual function and dysfunction studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Menopause: Health Impacts and Treatments
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Marriage and Sexual Relationships
- Keywords
- body image, sexual satisfaction, middle-aged women, menopause, attractiveness, sexual function, weight gain, breast changes, self-consciousness, self-acceptance, racial differences, aging
- MeSH terms
- Aging, Body Image, Female, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Menopause, Middle Aged, Orgasm, Personal Satisfaction, Quality of Life, Self Concept, Sexual Behavior, United States, Women's Health, Focus Groups, Sexuality, Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological, Qualitative Research
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