Thaindian News

Washington, March 30 (IANS) The more women are able to focus on how their bodies function and feel, rather than what others think, the more they will appreciate their own bodies.

And the more a woman appreciates her body, the more likely she is to eat intuitively - responding to physical feelings of hunger and fullness rather than being swayed by emotions in eating or the mere presence of food, reports the Journal of Counseling Psychology.

“Women who focus more on how their bodies’ function…are going to have a healthier, more positive body image and a tendency to eat according to their bodies’ needs rather than according to what society dictates,” said Tracy Tylka, associate professor of psychology at Ohio State University and senior study author.

Other studies have suggested that about 50 percent of women appreciate their bodies.

This work is geared toward examining how they arrive at their satisfaction with their bodies, and how they avoid any pitfalls that might interfere with their positive thinking.

Ultimately, the researchers say, it boils down to respect. If women are going to treat their bodies well - through nourishment, health screenings and exercise, for example - they first have to like their bodies, according to an Ohio State statement.

The women she surveyed were separated into three groups: emerging adult women age 18-25, early adult women age 26-39, and middle adult women age 40-65. A total of 801 women participated in the survey.