The association between body dissatisfaction and life satisfaction: A preregistered meta-analysis of 30 years of research

Body dissatisfaction is highly prevalent and poses significant risks to mental and physical well-being and social functioning. Although prior studies have examined the association between body dissatisfaction and life satisfaction, findings are mixed. To address this gap, we conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis synthesizing three decades of research (1991–2025). Sixty-two studies (N = 195,548 participants and 121 effect sizes) were included and analyzed using a three-level random effects model. Results showed a robust, medium-sized negative association between body dissatisfaction and life satisfaction (pooled r = −0.348, 95% CI [−0.380, −0.317], p < .001). Moderator analyses revealed that survey method (stronger in online than paper-and-pencil), age group (stronger in children and adolescents than adults), instruments of body dissatisfaction assessment (stronger in certain measures), formats of body dissatisfaction assessment (stronger in questionnaires than figure ratings), orientation of body dissatisfaction assessment (stronger in overall body dissatisfaction), publication year (stronger in recent years), and proportion of White participants (stronger in samples with more White participants) explained heterogeneity across studies. In contrast, measures of life satisfaction and demographic variables, such as the ratio of females and mean body mass index (BMI), did not significantly moderate the association, indicating the broad generalizability of the negative association across measures of life satisfaction, male and female sex, and body weight. Findings underscore the potential pervasive negative association between body dissatisfaction and life satisfaction and highlight the importance of historical and methodological factors in shaping this association, which should be considered in future research and interventions.