Fear of body image in women: comparison of Fars and Turkmen ethnicities

Background: Body image studies confirm a higher level of dissatisfaction among women compared to men, and some evidence shows that ethnicity may have a role in the level of body image fear. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the data of 372 Fars and Turkmen women visiting health care centers in Gonbad, Iran, were collected via convenience sampling and analyzed by SPSS v. 17. The instruments were a demographic checklist and Littleton’s Body Image Concern Inventory. Results: The level of fear of body image between Fars (M = 2.022, SD = 0.685) and Turkmen (M = 2.1408, SD = 0.661) ethnicities was not statistically different (P-value = 0.09) based on the t test. Furthermore, age, education level, and internet usage were significantly related to the variable of fear of body image. Conclusion: The role of ethnicity in the fear of body image is not statistically significant and needs further research.