Mental Health

Older Americans are Feeling Sexier and more Attractive

By Cheri Cheng | Update Date: Jul 11, 2014 11:48 AM EDT

As people grow older, many turn to expensive treatments and creams to diminish fine lines and any signs of aging. Despite people's focus on remaining young, a new Gallup survey found that this generation of older people has fewer qualms with aging. According to the survey answers, American seniors are feeling sexier and more attractive than before.

"Older Americans' looks are generally out of sync with the youthful standard of beauty that prevails in American culture," Gallup researchers said reported by TIME. "And yet they are most happy with what they see in the mirror."

The Gallup survey reached more than 85,000 adults and asked them about their feelings toward their changing physical appearances. The researchers found that 66 percent of the seniors reported the highest levels of feeling good about their looks in comparison to two other age groups. Only 61 percent of the people between the ages of 18 and 34 and 54 percent of the people between 35 and 64-years-old reported the same levels of satisfaction as the seniors.

In terms of gender, the researchers found that men reported higher levels of self-satisfaction than women in all age groups. When it came to race, African Americans and Hispanic Americans were more confident about their physical appearances than Caucasian Americans and Asian Americans.

"In an image-conscious society where beautiful men and women flood the screens and pages of Americans' various mediums, it isn't surprising that many are left feeling inadequate," Gallup representatives wrote according to FOX News. "For whites, who are the least likely to feel confident in their physical appearance across all age groups, societal pressure to conform to conventional standards of physical attractiveness takes an even bigger toll."

The survey was a part of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index that took place from Jan. 1 through to June 23. The survey results can be found here.

© 2023 Counsel & Heal All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Join the Conversation

Real Time Analytics