The sociology of the body is a specialised branch of sociology that focuses on how our bodies are shaped by social influences, cultural norms, and social structures, examining the body not just as a biological entity but also as a social object that is experienced, understood, and regulated within social contexts. This field explores a wide range of topics, including how social factors influence health and illness (as in social epidemiology), the social construction of beauty and body ideals, the impact of social inequalities on bodily experiences, the ways in which bodies are disciplined and controlled by social institutions, and the role of the body in social interaction and the construction of identity. It emphasises that our understanding and experience of our own bodies and the bodies of others are deeply intertwined with social and cultural forces.