Family dynamics shape body image differently across cultures

Flinders University

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Lead author, registered psychologist and PhD candidate Melanie Deek, Flinders University

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Credit: Flinders University

Body appreciation differs between Middle-Eastern and Western societies, a new international study can reveal, highlighting how cultural and family influences shape body image and eating behaviours in young women.

Led by Flinders University and published in the journal Body Image, the study surveyed over 850 women aged 18–25 in Australia and Lebanon, examining the roles that mothers and sisters play in shaping body dissatisfaction, body appreciation, and eating patterns.

Lead author, registered psychologist and PhD candidate Melanie Deek, says the study found that while both groups of women shared similar levels of body dissatisfaction, Middle-Eastern women reported higher body appreciation compared to their Western counterparts.

“Our findings challenge commonly held assumptions that negative body image is universally experienced in the same way,” says Ms Deek from the College of Education, Psychology and Social Work.

“Middle-Eastern women, in particular, showed stronger body appreciation, which may reflect cultural values and close family relationships that promote self-acceptance.

“This suggests that family and cultural values in the Middle East may help foster a more positive view of one's body, which could serve as a potential protective factor for negative body-image and disordered eating behaviours.”

The study highlights the significant influence of family, particularly mothers, on both positive and negative body image outcomes.

“Mothers, more than sisters, were found to have a consistently stronger impact when it came to shaping eating behaviours and body image,” Ms Deek explains.

“Interestingly, while Middle-Eastern women reported more frequent ‘fat talk’—discussions about weight and appearance—within families, these conversations were linked to positive outcomes, like increased body appreciation—suggesting a more nuanced cultural dynamic.”

The study also found differences in eating behaviours, with Middle-Eastern women more likely to engage in mindful eating practices, such as eating without distractions—habits associated with better mental and physical health.

“Their focus on mindful eating may contribute not only to healthier eating habits but also to a more positive body image,” says Deek.

Senior researcher Professor Ivanka Prichard, a body image expert, says the findings challenge the assumption that body image concerns are largely Western.

“Western beauty ideals are spreading globally, but this study shows that cultural and familial factors still play a powerful role in shaping how young women see themselves,” Professor Prichard says.

“To effectively address body dissatisfaction and disordered eating, we must develop culturally tailored interventions—not one-size-fits-all solutions.”

The research team plans to expand the study to include more Middle-Eastern regions, especially areas less influenced by Western beauty norms, and explore how these findings translate in multicultural societies like Australia.

“Our work underscores the need for inclusive, culturally sensitive approaches to promote positive body image and healthy eating behaviours across the globe,” concludes Ms Deek.

The paper, The role of female family members in relation to body image and eating behaviour: A cross-national comparison between Western and Middle-Eastern cultures was published in Body Image Journal by Melanie Rebecca Deek, Eva Kemps and Ivanka Prichard. DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2025.101882

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Journal

Body Image

DOI

10.1016/j.bodyim.2025.101882 

Method of Research

Survey

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

The role of female family members in relation to body image and eating behaviour: A cross-national comparison between Western and Middle-Eastern cultures

European hares are thriving in the city: New monitoring methods reveal high densities in Danish urban areas

As farmland populations decline, European hares find unexpected sanctuary in the heart of Danish cities — thanks to biodiversity-friendly urban planning and innovative monitoring tools.

Aalborg University

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Sussie Pagh, Ph.d., Senior Researcher, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Environmental Biomontoring, Aalborg University

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Credit: Aalborg University

A new study from Aalborg University in Denmark reveals that European hares (Lepus europaeus) are not only surviving—but thriving—in urban environments. Using a combination of citizen science and thermal imaging technology, researchers have documented surprisingly high hare densities in two of Denmark’s largest cities, raising new questions about the role of cities in European wildlife conservation.

“We were surprised to find such high numbers of hares right in the middle of the city. In several areas, the population density rivals or even exceeds that of the best rural habitats in Europe,” says senior researcher Sussie Pagh from the Department of Chemistry and Bioscience at Aalborg University, lead author of the study published in Urban Science.

Urban green spaces may be key to hare recovery

Across Europe, the European hare has declined significantly due to intensive agriculture and habitat fragmentation. But cities, long overlooked as wildlife habitats, may be offering new hope—especially when urban planning focuses on biodiversity.

“In both cities, local authorities are actively working to reduce pesticide use and promote urban biodiversity. This allows wild herbs and plants to flourish in green areas—plants that hares rely on for food,” says Pagh. “We believe this could be part of the explanation for the high densities, and we’ve now launched a student project to investigate which wild plants are actually growing in urban lawns and used by the hares.”

In central parts of Aalborg and Aarhus, the researchers measured up to 40 hares per square kilometer using thermal monitoring. This figure is significantly higher than typical densities in surrounding farmland.

From average citizens to spotters: a new way to track urban wildlife

The study is based on a combination of nearly 1,900 hare observations submitted by the general public in Aalborg and Aarhus and targeted monitoring using a thermal spotter—a handheld device that detects animals based on their body heat, without the need for disruptive lighting.

“The thermal spotter was key to understanding the actual density of hares in the areas reported by the public. It allowed us to detect them quietly and effectively, even between buildings and cars,” explains co-author Hanne Lyngholm Larsen.

While citizen observations are excellent for identifying hotspots, the researchers found they often overestimate actual population size. By combining both methods, the team could map where hares live, breed, and move throughout the cityscape.

Urban Europe: a new frontier for wildlife

The findings echo a broader trend seen in other European countries where species like foxes, hedgehogs, and badgers are increasingly making cities their homes. With urban areas becoming greener and more ecologically minded, researchers believe hares may become another flagship species for European urban biodiversity.

“If cities can offer better conditions than the countryside—more food and no hunting—they may act as source habitats for regional populations. That’s a shift in how we think about cities, from concrete jungles to key conservation areas,” says Cino Pertoldi, professor of conservation genetics at Aalborg University and Aalborg Zoo.

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Journal

Urban Science

DOI

10.3390/urbansci9020027 

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Monitoring Urban European Hares (Lepus europaeus Pallas) with Citizen Science and a Thermal Spotter

 

Study: middle-aged Americans are lonelier than adults in other countries, age groups

In the USA it is more common for the middle aged to be lonely than those in older groups – a result only shared with the Netherlands.

Taylor & Francis Group

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• Findings From More Than 64,000 People, in 29 Countries, Show the Relationship Between Loneliness and Age Varies by Country.

• Adults in Denmark Report the Lowest Levels of Loneliness. Those in Greece and Cyprus Reported the Overall Highest Levels.

Middle-aged Americans demonstrated some of the highest levels of loneliness in a new study assessing tens of thousands of 50-to-90-year-olds across 29 countries.

The peer-reviewed research, published in Aging and Mental Health, shows loneliness generally increases with age – with only the United States and the Netherlands representing places where middle-aged people feel more lonely than older generations.

“There is a general perception that people get lonelier as they age, but the opposite is actually true in the U.S. where middle-aged people are lonelier than older generations,” says lead author Robin Richardson, PhD, a social and psychiatric epidemiologist and assistant professor at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health. “Advocacy and interventions to address the loneliness epidemic have historically focused on older adults and adolescents. Middle-aged adults represent a critical population that is being overlooked.”

Loneliness is a significant public health concern, responsible for a wide range of physiological, cognitive, mental and behavioral health outcomes that decrease quality of life and increase the risk of disease. 

Using data from 64,324 older adults in countries across Europe, North America, and the Middle East, Richardson collaborated with experts from Columbia University; McGill University in Canada; and Universidad Mayor in Santiago, Chile.

They investigated prevalence of loneliness, linked with demographic and health factors, to investigate factors that contribute to loneliness throughout life.

The team found that while loneliness generally increased with age, the size of the increase was greater in some countries than others. Adults in Bulgaria and Latvia reported the most substantial increase in loneliness as people age. They found that adults in Cyprus and Greece had the highest prevalence of loneliness among adults aged 50 – 90 years.

The U.S. had a substantially higher prevalence of loneliness among middle-aged adults, a pattern shared with only one other country, the Netherlands.

Why are Middle-Aged People Reporting Higher Loneliness Levels?

Being unmarried, not working, depression and poor health were major reasons why loneliness varied with age, but the importance of these contributors and the combination of factors were different in each country.

For example, in the U.S., not working was the top reason for a higher amount of loneliness among middle-aged adults, while in other countries it resulted in more loneliness among older adults.

Approximately one fifth of loneliness contributors remained unexplained across countries, and this unexplained 20% was concentrated among middle-aged adults. The authors suggest this could be due to the unique social circumstances middle-aged adults face, such as highly constrained leisure time to socialize due to competing work, childcare, and aging parents’ caregiving demands.

Middle-aged adults have unique experiences that may differ substantially from other age groups and may contribute to loneliness. The United States has less robust social safety nets than many of the other study countries and is exceptional in its high cost of care, which may make middle-aged adults especially vulnerable to loneliness, the authors say.

What can be Done to Mitigate Loneliness?

“Our work shows that loneliness varies remarkably across country and age, and accordingly loneliness is not an immutable consequence of age or environment. This finding suggests that loneliness may be very sensitive to changes to life circumstances,” says Richardson.

“Our findings show that loneliness is not just a late-life issue,” adds senior author Dr. Esteban Calvo, Dean of Social Sciences and Arts at Universidad Mayor in Chile. “In fact, many middle-aged adults—often juggling work, caregiving, and isolation—are surprisingly vulnerable and need targeted interventions just as much as older adults. Globally, we must extend depression screenings to middle-aged groups, improve support for those not working or unmarried, and adapt these efforts to each country’s context—because a one-size-fits-all approach will not solve this worldwide problem.”

Given that loneliness varies across location and life circumstances, health policies and social programs to reduce loneliness should first confirm which age groups are at highest risk of loneliness in a particular setting, the authors add.

Limitations of the research include a low response rate among people from some countries. Additionally, the disclosure of sensitive health conditions such as loneliness and depression may have been underreported in some countries.

However, to mitigate this, data was harmonized to enable the same loneliness measurement approach, analysis, and variables across countries.

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Journal

Aging & Mental Health

DOI

10.1080/13607863.2025.2473634 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Contributors to age inequalities in loneliness among older adults: a decomposition analysis of 29 countries

Article Publication Date

22-Apr-2025

 

Medication-induced sterol disruption: A silent threat to brain development and public health

Brain Medicine editorial calls for urgent action to address overlooked toxicity of common prescription drugs

Genomic Press

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Medication-induced disruption of sterol biosynthesis poses significant risks to brain development and function. At the top center of this schematic lies the cholesterol molecule—an anchor of neurobiological integrity—flanked by the structure of haloperidol embedded within the brain, exemplifying one of over
30 FDA-approved compounds known to inhibit DHCR7. These agents, many of which are orally administered and processed through the gastrointestinal–hepatic axis, initiate biochemical disruptions at the level of first-pass metabolism, altering sterol homeostasis before the compounds even reach the central nervous system. The result: accumulation of toxic precursors such as 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) and their conversion into highly reactive oxysterols (top right), with well-established neurotoxic potential. On the left, a DNA strand signals genetic vulnerability,which can amplify these pathological cascades—particularly during periods of neurodevelopmental sensitivity (lower right). The diverse array of medications (pills, upper left) underscores the wide pharmacologic footprint of this off-target effect, raising serious concerns about additive or synergistic toxicity in the context of polypharmacy. Taken together, this mechanism—once overlooked—demands urgent attention as a pressing public health concern, particularly for developing brains and genetically susceptible populations.

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Credit: Julio Licinio

NEW YORK, New York, USA, 22 April 2025 – A powerful editorial published today in Brain Medicine raises alarm about a previously overlooked threat to brain development and public health: the disruption of sterol biosynthesis by common prescription medications.

The editorial, authored by Brain Medicine Editor-in-Chief Julio Licinio, responds to a recent article by Korade and Mirnics (https://doi.org/10.61373/bm025p.0011) that identified over 30 FDA-approved drugs—including widely prescribed psychiatric medications such as aripiprazole, trazodone, haloperidol, and cariprazine—that inhibit DHCR7, a critical enzyme in cholesterol synthesis.

"This inhibition raises the levels of 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC), suppresses cholesterol synthesis, and generates a sterol profile indistinguishable from that seen in congenital metabolic disorders," Dr. Licinio explains in the editorial. "This is not a hypothetical concern—it is empirically validated in cell lines, rodent models, and human blood samples."

The editorial highlights that these disruptions are particularly concerning during pregnancy and other developmental stages, but may have been systematically overlooked in drug safety evaluations. Even more alarming is that combinations of these medications—a common reality in clinical settings—can produce synergistic effects, elevating toxic metabolites to levels 15 times above normal.

"What Korade and Mirnics reveal is especially disturbing in this context," notes Dr. Licinio. "If individual drugs can mimic a metabolic disorder, what are we to make of their interactions? We are prescribing molecular cocktails with no empirical knowledge of how they alter developmental neurochemistry."

The editorial points out that approximately 1-3% of the general population carries single-allele DHCR7 mutations that may make them particularly vulnerable to these medications. A single prescription could potentially tip their biochemical balance, with two or more medications sending them into a state resembling Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome, a serious developmental disorder.

Key Implications

• Widely used psychiatric medications and other drugs may disrupt sterol biosynthesis, potentially causing developmental harm
• Current drug approval processes fail to account for polypharmacy effects, despite their prevalence
• Genetic vulnerability in a significant portion of the population increases risk
• Developmental vulnerability extends beyond pregnancy to include infancy, childhood, and adolescence
• Regulatory changes and clinical practice adjustments are urgently needed

Recommendations for Action

The editorial issues specific recommendations for immediate changes in clinical practice:

• Pregnant women with DHCR7± genotype should avoid medications with 7-DHC-elevating side effects
• Genetic testing should be considered for women of childbearing age who require these medications
• Polypharmacy involving drugs that disrupt sterol synthesis should be avoided during pregnancy
• Patients with Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome should never receive medications with 7-DHC-elevating effects

For regulatory bodies and the pharmaceutical industry, Dr. Licinio calls for mandatory sterol biosynthesis screening in developmental safety assessments, abandoning "the fiction of monotherapy testing," and developing evaluation methods that reflect real-world prescribing patterns.

"This is a call to action. Not someday. Now," concludes Dr. Licinio.

The Editorial “Medication-induced sterol disruption: An overlooked threat to brain development and public health” appears online on 22 April 2025 in Brain Medicine (Genomic Press) and is freely accessible at https://doi.org/10.61373/bm025d.0041.

About Brain Medicine: Brain Medicine (ISSN: 2997-2639) is a peer-reviewed medical research journal published by Genomic Press, New York. Brain Medicine is a new home for the cross-disciplinary pathway from innovation in fundamental neuroscience to translational initiatives in brain medicine. The journal’s scope includes the underlying science, causes, outcomes, treatments, and societal impact of brain disorders across all clinical disciplines and their interface.

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Journal

Brain Medicine

DOI

10.61373/bm025d.0041 

Method of Research

Literature review

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Medication-induced sterol disruption: An overlooked threat to brain development and public health

Article Publication Date

22-Apr-2025

 

A colloidal crystal model for controlled polymorph selection

Tohoku University

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(a) Microscopic image and schematic representation of crystal polymorphs obtained via heteroepitaxial growth (α-phase: green; β-phase: red). Polystyrene particles with a diameter of 860 nm were used for the epitaxial phase, while particles with a diameter of 1300 nm served as the substrate crystal. (b) Snapshots of polymorphic transitions during nucleation. (c) Snapshots of polymorphic transitions from β-phase to α-phase mediated by the solution during crystal growth. (d) Snapshots of polymorphic transitions from solid α-phase to solid β-phase during crystal growth. 

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Credit: ©Jun Nozawa

Polymorphs are not mythical, chimeric beasts - they are substances with identical chemical compositions but differing crystal structures that also exhibit different physical and chemical properties. What this means for practical use, is that companies often want to create a certain polymorph - but not the others. Researchers at Tohoku University took a deep dive into using colloidal crystallization as a model system to figure out how to achieve that fine control over specific polymorph formation.

Zoom in on a crystal at a microscopic level, and you'll find that what makes it unique is its highly ordered structure. A colloidal crystal has a similar ordered structure, but with the addition of suspended, submicron-sized particles. These special crystals are regarded as a good model of phase transition, and versatile materials for a wide range of scientific and industrial applications. However, the mechanisms behind polymorph selection during the crystallization process are not fully understood. One of the goals of this study was to reveal novel insights about these mechanisms.

"The ability to control the growth of specific crystal polymorphs is essential in fields like materials science and pharmaceuticals," says Jun Nozawa (Tohoku University). "Any change to the polymorphs results in changes to product performance and functionality, so being able to confidently select for a specific polymorph is crucial."

This study utilized colloidal crystallization as a model system and conducted in situ observations with single-particle resolution to investigate polymorph selection mechanisms. This study employed a method called heteroepitaxial growth using polystyrene colloidal particles. The crystallization process involved nucleation, growth, and dissolution - each influenced by polymorphic transitions.

The final products were found to be governed by polymorph transitions. They found that the probability of a certain polymorph occurring was driven by size and cluster stability. Particle additives were able to effectively control polymorph formation as well.

"These factors we analyzed can be used in principle to help create the desired polymorph, depending on the situation. This opens new pathways for polymorph regulation technologies," remarks Nozawa.

This research has advanced the understanding of polymorph control, providing insights applicable to material fabrication and drug development. These findings emphasize the significance of cluster dynamics and growth rates beyond thermodynamic stability for polymorphic crystal selection.

These findings were published in Communications Physics on April 9, 2025.

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Journal

Communications Physics

DOI

10.1038/s42005-025-02062-9 

Article Title

A Colloidal Crystal Model for Controlled Polymorph Selection

Article Publication Date

19-Apr-2025