Do you worry about your age as much as you worry about your weight? A recent study on ScienceDaily.com reveals that focusing too much on the aspects of getting old may be a strong sign of body dissatisfaction as much as focusing on your waistline is.

Although body dissatisfaction is relatively normal, such negative feelings related to weight have also been known to lead to more dangerous physical and mental conditions such as binging, depression, and even eating disorders. Researchers from the Trinity University and University of the West of England surveyed approximately 1,000 women from ages 18 to 87 to see body dissatisfaction related to age has the same health effects.

The results showed that although weight is more of a problem of younger women, it is eventually replaced by issues about age as they grow older, and those who experience both have a more negative image of themselves than those who don't.

Lead author Dr. Carolyn Black Becker explains, "Until now, most research has focused on the negative effects of the thin-ideal and speech, such as 'fat talk,' in younger women, but we need to remember that the thin-ideal is also a young-ideal which, as our results show, becomes increasingly important to negative body image as women age."

If you worry too much about your age and always think that you can't do as much as you used to before, then this could become a self-fulfilling prophecy-- if you are too wary of using your body to it's full potential, you'll lose the ability to do so. Remember, the number of candles on your birthday cake doesn't matter. You can both feel and look great as long as you allow yourself to do so. The key to staying forever young is knowing that you are in mind, heart, and spirit.

(Photo by Felix via Flickr Creative Commons)