African women opt for the slimline `Western' look.

Byline: By Tony Henderson

At one time black South African women were happy to have a fuller figure.

But now, because their men are changing their preferences towards thin Western-looking females, more are trying to fall in with the Western ideal of slim women, a North-East psychologist has found.

Julie Seed, from Northumbria University, presented her findings last week at the British Psychological Society conference on the shores of Lake Windermere in the Lake District.

The study will fuel anxieties raised in earlier studies, which showed high levels of body dissatisfaction and unhealthy weight-control behaviour among black South African women.

"It's a shame that this is happening in a culture where big has historically been lauded as beautiful," said Julie. Men from the University of Zululand in Kwa-Zulu Natal took part in the study to establish their current preferences for female body shape and size.

The men showed a strong preference for women to be tall and slim, with a flat stomach, narrow waist and long, slender legs. They also preferred women to have long hair.

Julie said: "In earlier studies, we found the girls to have a very negative body image and a strong desire to be thinner. Many were trying to lose weight and some were abusing laxatives, diet pills or making themselves vomit.

"There was a strong belief that men now preferred thinner women, and the girls felt this left them with little choice but to try and become thinner. Sadly, this study shows that they were correct in their assumption."

The study forms part of a larger project involving Northumbria University, the University of Zululand and the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.