Investigating the Relationship between Body Management and Modern Identity among Married Women in Tehran City

INTRODUCTION: One of the characteristics of the modern age is to pay attention to visual symbols. In recent periods, body had found basic importance because of being the most available instrument to exhibit the identity forms and had been transformed to an identity media.

METHODS: In this cross-sectional survey, the relationship between body management and modern identity has been studied on 400 married women in Tehran city. The sampling method used in this research is multistage cluster sampling.

RESULTS: In the range of 50 to 87, the mean score of body management was 66.18 that indicates a body management behavior around average among participants. A positive, significant relationship (r=0.32) between modern identity and body management was found. Regression analysis showed that modern identity, monthly family income, educational level, and age can explain 20% of the variance of body management.

CONCLUSION: It may be concluded that the higher the level of modern identity, the higher the level of body management will be. Based on Giddens’ theory, it can be stated that in the consumption world, the women according to their tastes and interests are trying to present themselves beautiful and youthful and to make a distinguished personal identity of themselves. Therefore, the body style and statues are some of the mechanisms that the women used to reveal their identity.