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BODY IMAGE

 

Body Image refers to the way a person perceives, thinks, and feels about their body and appearance (National Eating Disorders Collaboration, 2011). These thoughts and feelings of one's body can range from positive to negative and can change over time, influenced by what the person sees, reads or hears. Feeling negatively about one's own body is referred to as body dissatisfaction and more commonly affects younger people (Presnell, Bearman & Madeley, 2007).

 

In adolescents, body dissatisfaction has been found to be more common in girls compared to boys (Ricciardelli & McCabe, 2001), resulting in unhealthy eating habits and dieting (Garner & Garfinkel, 1981). According to Eating Disorders Victoria (2012), children as young as five can be affected by an eating disorder. This is especially concerning as eating disorders are more dangerous in children compared with adolescents and adults due to the ability to permanently stunt growth and development. Not only can body dissatisfaction result in eating disorders that negatively impact the development of adolescents, but it can also lead to lowered self-esteem and higher levels of depression (Taylor & Cooper, 1986). Ricciardelli and McCabe (2001) and Smolak and Levine (2001) both suggest that preadolescent children learn about the thin ideal through social messages from parents and peers, and cultural messages from the media.

The main contributors to the rising rate of body dissatisfaction are:

  • cultural messages from media, social norms and the broader society.

  • social messages from family and friends

  • personal characteristics of the individual which helps to determine if someone is more likely to take on the cultural ideals of beauty

 

Ricciardelli and McCabe (2001) and Smolak and Levine (2001)

Did You Know?

90% of cases of anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) occur in females.

 

(The National Eating Disorders Collaboration, 2012a)

Eating disorders are the 3rd most common chronic illness in young females.

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(The National Eating Disorders Collaboration, 2012b)

An estimated 20% of females have an undiagnosed eating disorder

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(The National Eating Disorders Collaboration, 2012b)

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