Prior research has generally found a significant connection between the media and body image disturbances. The more one watches television and reads magazines that promote a certain ideal body type, the more one's body image suffers. The present study sought to build upon the existing body of literature regarding the media and its effect on body image for both men and women to see if media usage was a significant predictor of overall body image assessment as well as to explore gender differences in body image. Perceived social support was also examined as a possible moderating variable between the media and body image.

Although the hypothesis that the media would have an immediate effect on body image was not supported, overall media consumption was found to have a negative effect on body image for both men and women. As the reported frequency of viewing fashion and body and health magazines increased as well as the regularity of watching any one television show increased, reported body image worsened. There were no significant differences in reported body image between those people who saw media images and those who saw average images. There were however significant gender differences found for each of the dependent body image measures, with women reporting more body dissatisfaction, a greater drive for thinness and increased dieting behavior and men reporting greater initial body satisfaction and an increased drive for muscularity. The final hypothesis that perceived social support would serve as a moderating variable between the media and body image was also supported. Regression analyses demonstrated that perceived social support moderated the relationship between the media and body image for body mass index (BMI) and drive for muscularity. Future studies would benefit from continuing to include both male and female participants. The media and social support are significant influences on body image but body ideals are changing and it is important to determine to what degree these changes are affecting how men and women conceptualize body image.