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Known for its beautiful architecture and stunning coastline, Malta now has a new claim to fame.
Experts have revealed that it is the country with the highest levels of body confidence.
In a new global study, researchers from Anglia Ruskin University surveyed more than 56,000 people from 65 countries about their body image.
Malta, Taiwan, Bangladesh and Kazakhstan topped the list as the most body confident countries.
At the other end of the table, Australia, India and the UK turned out to be the countries with the lowest levels of body confidence.
In a new global study, researchers from Anglia Ruskin University surveyed more than 56,000 people from 65 countries about their body image. Malta, Taiwan, Bangladesh and Kazakhstan topped the list as the most body confident countries (file image)
Previous research has found a link between high levels of body appreciation and a variety of positive well-being traits, including improved self-esteem and healthy eating habits.
However, until now, little research has looked at how body appreciation varies around the world.
To answer this question, the The team recruited 56,968 participants from 65 countries who were surveyed about their body image.
Participants were asked to rate the extent to which they agreed with 10 statements, including “I respect my body” and “I appreciate the different and unique features of my body.”
Overall, the results revealed that having a more positive body image was strongly associated with better psychological well-being and life satisfaction.
Professor Viren Swami, lead author of the study, said: “This is one of the largest body image studies ever conducted, achieved through a collaborative research effort involving more than 250 scientists from around the world.
“Our finding that greater appreciation of the body is associated with better psychological well-being highlights the importance of developing ways to promote a more positive body image globally.”
Breaking down the results by country, the researchers found that Malta topped the list as the most body confident country, followed by Taiwan, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, South Korea and the Philippines.
Australians had the least body confidence, followed by India, the UK, Ireland, Ukraine, Germany and the US (file image)
At the other end of the scale, Australians had the lowest body confidence, followed by India, the UK, Ireland, the Ukraine, Germany and the US.
Finally, the study found that, in all countries, body appreciation was higher in people who lived in rural areas, as well as in single women.
“People who live in urban areas may feel stronger pressure to conform to the bodily ideals promoted by Western society, and it is also notable that people from countries considered culturally different from the United States appear to generally have a greater appreciation of the body,” said Professor Swami.
“People in rural areas can also benefit from nature, which previous research has also shown to be linked to positive body image.”
The researchers hope the findings will encourage policy makers around the world to promote a more positive body image.
“We are confident that the present work will help scholars to better understand the meaning and manifestation of body appreciation across nations, and will be valuable to practitioners and policy makers seeking to promote more positive body image outcomes in diverse countries, cultural and linguistic groups,” the team wrote in the study, published in Body Image.