Heavenly bodies in the eye of the beholder.

• Position: Weight Control - Brief article

Telling women that men desire larger women who are not model-thin made the women feel better about their own weight. Results of three independent studies suggest a woman's body image is linked strongly to her perception of what she thinks men prefer. How women perceive men's preferences influenced each woman's body image independent of her actual body size and weight.

"On average, heterosexual women believe that heterosexual men desire ultra-thin women," says Andrea Meltzer, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas. "Consequently, this study suggests that interventions that alter women's perception regarding men's desires for ideal female body sizes may be effective at improving women's body image."

The findings could have significant implications for women's health and well-being, Meltzer asserts, as earlier research has demonstrated that women satisfied with their body and weight tend...