Sociocultural theory attributes the high levels of body image concerns and disordered eating
in Western women to the promotion of an unrealistically thin body ideal. This study
investigated body dissatisfaction, restrained eating, and attitudes toward appearance in
visually impaired and sighted women. There were 21 congenitally blind, 11 blinded later in
life, and 60 sighted. Blind women were more satisfied with their body and dieted less than
sighted women. Appearance attitudes, particularly thin-ideal internalization, accounted for …