Body image and self-esteem seem to go hand-in-hand. Studies have shown that those with a positive body image have higher self-esteem than those with a negative body image. The positive body image holders feel better than the negative ones even if their bodies don’t look better objectively.

Women with a poor body image cite being too large as their biggest body flaw more often than any other negative trait. The desire to lose weight, whether real or imagined, can become an obsession for these ladies, causing difficulties with diseases such as anorexia and/or bulimia. Depression is also higher in individuals - especially women - with a negative body image.

Men, on the other hand, tend to have a higher body image than women do. When a man holds his body image negatively, he is often more upset that he’s not ‘big enough.’ Yes, men can have difficulties with depression, anorexia and/or bulimia, but the facts are that they are less likely to develop these conditions than women. Instead, men tend to feel that they aren’t muscular, or ‘manly’, enough. The desire for additional muscle has been linked to low self-esteem, personality disorders and use (or abuse) of muscle-building supplements, hormones and steroids in many individuals.

Unfortunately, people often suffer with poor body image due to factors beyond their control. You can’t change certain things about yourself. Some women are curvier than others. Some men are leaner than others. What makes you who you on the outside has a lot more to do with genetics than anything else.

One of the main problems for folks is that affluent cultures, such as those in the United States and most of Europe, tend to place a high value on thinness. Obesity, which is on the rise in much of the developed world, is often equated with laziness and ugliness. Thin is considered ‘in’ and thin people are portrayed as happier, smarter and sexier than their rounder counterparts in advertising campaigns, TV shows, movies and so forth.

It’s said that people set unrealistic standards for themselves while being encouraged by the media. The modern standard of feminine beauty is too thin, often unhealthily so. Female models and actresses often look emaciated. Even fashion dolls that young girls play with have measurements that don’t exist in nature. If they did, they would belong to anorexic or … severely malnourished physiques.

Men don’t have it much better when it comes to the media’s portray of buff masculinity. TV, movie and sports stars are either too thin or “juiced up.” The recent difficulties with Major League Baseball paint a sad portrait of what some men will do to be “stronger, faster or more muscular.”

It’s unfortunate that these unhealthy standards are often held up on a pedestal by health care professionals. Doctors, nutritionists and the like are constantly promoting weight loss and fitness measures even though there are many people over the ‘recognized ideal weight’ that are fit and healthy. Body fat measurements, rather than scale weight, may be a better indicator of health and fitness. However, most professionals go too low on this end as well and perpetuate the mentality that you can “never be too rich or too thin.”

Even though it may seems that the odds of having a positive body image in this day and age are stacked against you, it’s not impossible. You can and should learn to love your body no matter what size you are (or aren’t). This is an important step to reclaiming a positive body image…and perhaps your life.

Click here for some tips on how you can do just that.