The economic and social costs of body dissatisfaction and appearance-based discrimination in the United States

Yetsenga, Rhiannon; Banerjee, Rhea; Streatfeild, Jared; McGregor, Katherine; Austin, S Bryn; Lim, Belle W.X.; Diedrichs, Phillippa C.; Greaves, Kayla; Mattei, Josiemer; Puhl, Rebecca M.; Slaughter-Acey, Jaime C.; Solanke, Iyiola; Sonneville, Kendrin R.; Velasquez, Katrina; Cheung, Simone

Abstract

This study estimated the social and economic costs of body dissatisfaction and appearance-based discrimination (specifically, weight and skin-shade discrimination) in the United States (USA) in the 2019 calendar year. We used a prevalence-based approach and a cost-of-illness method to estimate the annual cost of harmful appearance ideals for cases of body dissatisfaction and discrimination based on weight and skin shade. Impacts on conditions/illnesses such as eating disorders that are attributable to body dissatisfaction, weight discrimination and skin-shade discrimination were identified through a quasi-systematic literature review, which captured financial, economic, and non-financial costs. For each impact attributable to body dissatisfaction or appearance-based discrimination, annual health system and productivity costs (or labor market costs) were primarily estimated by using a population attributable fraction methodology. Only direct costs that resulted from body dissatisfaction and appearance-based discrimination were included (for example, costs associated with conditions such as depression attributable to body dissatisfaction or appearance-based discrimination). In contrast, indirect costs (e.g. costs associated with a health condition developed following skin bleaching, which was undertaken as a result of body dissatisfaction) were not included. In 2019 body dissatisfaction incurred $84 billion in financial and economic costs and $221 billion through reduced well-being. Financial costs of weight discrimination and skin-shade discrimination were estimated to be $200 billion and $63 billion, respectively, and reduced well-being was estimated to be $206.7 billion due to weight discrimination and $8.4 billion due to skin-shade discrimination. Sensitivity testing revealed the costs likely range between $226 billion and $507 billion for body dissatisfaction, between $175 billion and $537 billion for skin-shade discrimination, and between $126 billion and $265 billion for weight discrimination. This study demonstrates that the prevalence and economic costs of body dissatisfaction and weight and skin-shade discrimination are substantial, which underscores the urgency of identifying policy actions designed to promote prevention.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 9, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Mar 23, 2024
• Publication Date: 2024
• Deposit Date: Dec 6, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 10, 2024
• Journal: Eating disorders
• Print ISSN: 1064-0266
• Electronic ISSN: 1532-530X
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 32
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 572-602
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10640266.2024.2328461
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/11883660