The Beauty Society

Understanding your body type

In today’s society we are constantly bombarded with new diets, workouts and even surgical procedures that are meant to make us look our best. But what does ‘looking our best’ actually mean? There is much confusion about what our ultimate aim should be. An important factor when considering overall self-improvement or a complete make-over is your body type.

In terms of nature, the underlying body type you are born with is generally outside of your control as it is governed by genetics (DNA), however, lifestyle choices and a variety of both surgical and non-surgical procedures can also make a significant difference to your eventual adult shape. In order to make the best of what you’ve got and to achieve the look you want, nature and nurture need to be working in harmony.

For reasons of simplicity the medical world categorises males and females into three basic body types and these are known as ectomorphic, mesomorphic and endomorphic. It is possible to be one body type with some characteristics of another, and also to modify these characteristics through diet, exercise or body sculpting medical procedures depending upon your personal aims.

Women are often driven by the pressure to look attractive and try to compete with magazine images, which are usually airbrushed and unrealistic. Recent research has shown that men are much more likely to judge a woman’s attractiveness by her waist to hip ratio (WHR), rather than body mass index (BMI). The BMI is a tool used to find out whether you are a healthy weight for your height. This is done by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in metres (1), and then dividing this answer by your height in metres again (kgs/m/m) (2).

The healthy range is between 18.5 and 29.4 (kgs/m/m). However, this does not feature when defining attractiveness in terms of WHR, the optimum is said to be a medium build with a ratio of 0.7. Subconsciously, the WHR is said to signal overall health and fertility. It is calculated by dividing the waist circumference (pink line in diagram) by the hip circumference at its widest part (green line).

It is therefore possible to have a high BMI and still achieve a 0.7 ratio. The easiest way to visualise this is in the form of the ‘hourglass’ figure, but some people find this easier to achieve than others and this is all down to your basic body type.

We are all aware of the current ‘size zero’ trend, but it is important to remember that these trends come and go with time. In the 50s it was the burlesque women setting the precedent about attractiveness, and with the help of celebrities like Dita Von Teese this trend is beginning to have a resurgence of popularity. The main thing these two trends have in common is the goal to look as attractive as possible, they are simply different interpretations. In truth the ‘hourglass’ shape transcends most fashions, and this is because it is biologically grounded.

How to calculate BMI How to calculate WHR

Your basic body type has some specific qualities, and these can help you identify areas that could be improved upon in order to achieve the ultimate ‘hourglass’ goal.

Cellulite is something that can create a negative body image, but perhaps reassuringly all female body types suffer from it. This is because of the sex hormone oestrogen which causes fat to be deposited in certain areas rather than others, which is often why overweight women become pear shaped. Men do not tend to suffer from cellulite because testosterone causes excess fat to be deposited around the waist line, resulting in a typically endomorphic shape.

The most commonly found body type amongst men and women in the general population is the mesomorph. When this group is in good health and fitness they are more likely to conform to the desirable body ratios. If you are not fortunate enough to have this body type then you will have to work hard to achieve the ‘hourglass’ ratio against your body’s natural inclination.

The most important aspect of body shape is satisfaction and contentment. People find it hard to be objective about both the qualities and downfalls of their own body, and often place unnecessary pressure on the wrong aspect, such as weight rather than tone.

In extreme situations both men and women can suffer from a condition known as ‘Body Dysmorphic Disorder’. This is a psychiatric disorder in which the person is overly preoccupied by an imagined or minor defect. Essentially what they see in the mirror does not reflect reality. This can be extremely distressing for the sufferer, resulting in depression and anxiety especially where the condition extends to general body image. The treatment for this illness can vary from counselling to cognitive therapy.

The emphasis for changing your body shape should start with diet and exercise where excess weight is the problem. However, sometimes these are not the only solutions, and a multi-faceted approach involving surgical or non-surgical procedures can help you achieve the look you want. This is especially relevant to the aspects over which we have little control, such as the size of our bust, or stubborn cellulite. The main goal should be about optimising your own body type to look its best by using nurture to influence nature.