Excessive Body Weight: The Main Reason Indonesian Women Experience Body Shaming

Physical appearance criticism or body shaming is a common occurrence today. Body shaming often happens on social media, affecting both public figures and the general public.

According to the ZAP Beauty Index 2020 report, approximately 62.2% of women in Indonesia have experienced body shaming at some point in their lives. Of that number, 47% of respondents experienced body shaming because they were considered overweight.

36.4% of respondents experienced body shaming due to acne. Furthermore, 28.1% of respondents were victims of body shaming because of a round face.

Another 23.3% of respondents were body-shamed for having dark skin. Meanwhile, 19.6% of respondents were body-shamed for being considered too thin.

Body shaming can affect victims both psychologically and mentally. Common negative impacts include psychological stress, the risk of eating and mental disorders, and a poor quality of life.

ZAP Clinic, in collaboration with Markplus, Inc., compiled this report through an online survey of 6,460 women in Indonesia. The survey was conducted in 35 regencies/cities from July to September 2019.