Physical appearance comparison and neuroticism explain why women have a poorer body image than men

Objective Gender differences in body image are reported consistently, with women generally having poorer body image which harms their good health and well-being. Nevertheless, the mechanism explaining women's poor body image requires further clarification. This study suggests that the social factor of physical appearance comparison and the personality factor of neuroticism explain the association between gender and body image. Methods Data collected from 458 higher education students in Israel were analyzed using structural equation modeling, examining the mediation model. Results The results indicated that gender is associated with body image through the mechanisms of physical appearance comparison and neuroticism. Women tend to have a poorer body image, primarily because of their greater propensity to compare their physical appearance with others and their higher levels of neuroticism compared to men. Conclusion Overall, the results suggests that both social factors and personality are important in explaining women’s poorer body image. The findings are discussed in terms of the social comparison perspective, gender models of objectification and sociocultural models.