This study reports results from the first International Body Project (IBP-I), which surveyed 7,434 individuals in 10 major world regions about body weight ideals and body dissatisfaction. Participants completed the female Contour Drawing Figure Rating Scale (CDFRS) and self-reported their exposure to Western and local media. Results indicated there were significant cross-regional differences in the ideal female figure and body dissatisfaction, but effect sizes were small across high-socioeconomic-status (SES) sites. Within cultures, heavier bodies were preferred in low-SES sites compared to high-SES sites in Malaysia and South Africa (ds = 1.94-2.49) but not in Austria. Participant age, body mass index (BMI), and Western media exposure predicted body weight ideals. BMI and Western media exposure predicted body dissatisfaction among women. Our results show that body dissatisfaction and desire for thinness is commonplace in high-SES settings across world regions, highlighting the need for international attention to this problem.

The results of this study support the use of Belsky's process model of parenting to study the predictors of PSE. Important differences were found in the prediction models for mothers and fathers. Future studies need to clarify the nature of parental self-efficacy beliefs in fathers and continue to use comprehensive theoretical models to identify potentially relevant covariates of PSE. Limitations of the current investigation include reliance on self-report measures and the homogeneity of the sample.

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Background: Fatigue is prevalent in new parents and is associated with poorer functional performance and cognitive functioning. This can be particularly detrimental during the transition to parenthood when parents are adapting to new roles and demands. Examining the course of fatigue and related factors can provide important avenues for intervention and prevention.Methods: In this longitudinal study, we assessed fatigue and its correlates in 108 mother/father couples. Multilevel modelling examined the prevalence and trajectory of fatigue across the transition to parenthood, as well as factors associated with post-partum fatigue. Parents completed measures of fatigue, prenatal stress, depression and health, and post-natal parental sleep quality, infant sleep duration, and infant negativity.Results: Mothers' and fathers' fatigue increased following the birth of their infant and remained at high levels. Poor sleep quality, stress, and depression were associated with maternal and paternal fatigue, while infant characteristics were more strongly associated with maternal fatigue. Prenatal depressive symptoms, parental sleep quality, infant sleep duration, and the interaction of gender by prenatal fatigue predicted post-natal fatigue in our model. Conclusion:Our results highlight the need for health professionals to educate new parents about fatigue and its management beyond the prenatal period. As correlates of fatigue for mothers and fathers differ, we need to expand our understanding of paternal fatigue and develop interventions tailored to their unique experiences.

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