Adults in Gulf countries and Egypt most at ease with their body image

A new global study by YouGov found that most adults are comfortable with their weight and body image despite a rising "celebrity culture." Of the 25 countries surveyed, Saudi Arabia came second, followed by Oman, Qatar, Egypt, and the UAE. Indonesia topped the list, with 81 percent of men and 75 percent of women surveyed expressing their confidence in their body and weight. Bahrain was also on the list, at no. 13.

YouGov found that, overall, the older the participant, the less body image and weight mattered in contrast with younger participants who were still influenced by the pressures brought on by the media and celebrity culture.

However, results have shown that in the United States, Australia, and most European and Asian-Pacific countries, older people have more body confidence than adults in their 20s or 30s, while in the UAE, Egypt, and Mexico, younger people are more satisfied with their looks.

In most countries surveyed, more than half of the respondents believe that celebrity culture has a negative impact on young people, but that's not the case in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. Around a third in the UAE (34%) and Qatar (31%) think that celebrities could have a positive impact on youths in comparison to 41% in mainland China and 34% in Thailand and Malaysia.