“ BODY IMAGE

IN
”
ADOLESCENTS
Lekshmi Sree Kumar
Social Science
•
 What is body image?
• Your body image is how and what you think and feel about your body. It includes the picture of your
body that you have in your mind, which might or might not match your body’s actual shape and size.

• A positive or healthy body image is feeling happy and satisfied with your body, as well as being
comfortable with and accepting the way you look.

• A negative or unhealthy body image is feeling unhappy with the way you look. People who feel like
this often want to change their body size or shape.

• Body image can change through your lifetime.

• A healthy body image is important. When you feel good about your body, you’re more likely to have
good self-esteem and mental health as well as a balanced attitude to eating and physical activity.
 Self-Esteem
• Individual’s sense of his/her worth; extent to which a person values, approves of, or appreciates
himself/herself.
• Self-concept.
• more global sense of self-worth.
• Self-efficacy.
• One’s belief that one has the ability to complete or accomplish a particular task.
 Positive Body Image
• A clear perception of body shape.
• Natural body shape is celebrated and appreciated.
• Feelings of pride and acceptance about body.
• Comfort and confidence in ones body.
Negative Body Image
• A distorted perception of body shape
• Belief that only others are attractive and that ones own body size/shape is a sign of failure.
• Feelings of shame, self- consciousness, or anxiety about body.
• Discomfort and awkwardness in ones body.
 Body Image Concerns
• Weight
• Eating Disorders
• Skin Color
• Cultural differences/features
• Religious/Cultural Traditions
• Gender Identity
• Clothing/dress style
• Body Art
• Economic Status
 What Are Some Factors That Affect Body Image?
Standards set by society and the culture that surrounds us Comments from family, friends, and others
about our bodies, their bodies, and other people’s bodies Self-esteem (view our bodies and evaluate
ourselves) .
History of abuse, teasing, life changes, and physical changes that may be a result of puberty, medical
problems, surgery or sports injuries Images of idealized versus normal bodies.
 People with negative body image may have/inhibit -
• Eating Disorders
• Negative body image and body dissatisfaction increase risk
• Anorexia or bulimia nervosa
• Perceive themselves as being larger than they actually are
• Increase in dieting behavior
• Depression, decreased self-confidence, increased feelings of anxiety, feelings of
unattractiveness and persistent concern about weight
• Engage in excessive body checking
• Camouflage their size and shape with loose and bulky clothing
• Avoid social situations that trigger physical self-consciousness
 How Do Eating and Body Image Go Together?
Eating disorders are internal conflicts about food and/or body size and shape.
Disordered eating behaviors are associated with a preoccupation with appearance and an attempt
to change body size through a focus on diets.
Healthy eating behaviors are associated with feeling confident about body shape and size.
• Eating disorders
• Anorexia nervosa
• Fear of weight gain and severe restriction of food intake, which can result in significant weight loss
• Bulimia nervosa
• Attempt to avoid weight gain or to manage weight through frequent compensation by purging
• Pattern of binge eating (feeling out of control while eating) without purging
 Exposure to Mass Media and Weight Concerns
• Girls between Grades 5 and 12.
• 69% reported that magazine pictures influence their idea of the perfect body shape.
• 47% reported wanting to lose weight because of magazine pictures.
• Girls who were frequent readers of fashion magazines were two to three times more likely than
infrequent readers.
• To diet to lose weight because of a magazine article.
• To exercise to lose weight because of a magazine article.
• To feel that magazines influence what they believe is the ideal body shape.
 The Power of Advertising
• Advertising is the most influential media in our culture
• It reflects our daydreams, affects what we eat, what we wear, how we look and play.
• Women in Advertising
• Media portrays women in debilitating, demeaning and inaccurate ways
• It presents women as flawless, decorative objects, and creates unrealistic expectations for women
• Cultivating Images of Thinness
• In advertising, women receive more messages about slimness and staying in shape than men do
• thinness is associated with good health and attractiveness
• In fact, images of thinness are a major cause of the eating disorders of bulimia and anorexia.
 How to improve Body Image
• Celebrate our natural sizes – enjoy the diversity of our body shapes.
• Become informed and recognize and challenge myths and misperceptions about body image.
• Challenge weight prejudice.
• Challenge the media.
• Boycott the diet industry.
• Educate others around the issues of weight prejudice and set point theory.
• Surround yourself with a range of realistic body images.
• Surround yourself with positive people who build you up, not tear you down.
• Positive affirmations – learning to love yourself is a process, it takes time to truly love the skin you
are in.
 Bust/ Break Body Myths
Myth #1: Overeating Causes Overweight Animal research suggests at least 51 causes of overweight,
including genetic, metabolic and other environmental factors.
Myth # 2: Dieting is Effective Clinical studies show that up to 95% of dieters regain the weight lost,
usually within the first year. (yo-yo dieters)
Myth #3: Dieting is Healthy In addition to inadequate nutrition, dieting has been implicated in the
development of weakness, fatigue, binge eating, bulimia, weight gain and obesity. (Don’t diet, make
lifestyle changes!!!)
Myth # 4: Everyone Can Be Slim Many researchers are suggesting that the body has a "set point" or
biological control for the amount fat in the body; weight is determined predominately by genetics and
early nutrition.
 What Influences Body Image?
• One of most important influences on body dissatisfaction and appearance focus in adolescent girls is
how appearance focused their peers are.
• Parents and other family members also influence body esteem.
• Direct: comments about weight and shape, developing bodies, putting children on diets to lose
weight, and teasing all can have a negative impact.
• Indirect: Modeling - actions speak louder than words!
• Personality Traits-can make a person more or less vulnerable to things around us.
 Signs of Poor Body Image
• Always looking at their image or 'imperfections' in the mirror.
• Avoiding social situations.
• Obsessed with counting calories, taking up crash diets.
• Seeking reassurance for their looks repeatedly from others.
• Talking negatively about their body, such as 'I feel ugly', 'I wish I had a better body' etc.
• Talking about seeking a cosmetic surgeon for cosmetic changes.
• Obsessed with going to the gym or completely ignoring their obesity.
 Some experiences that can lead to an adolescent developing a negative body image
include:
• Teasing and negative comments from family members about their body, such as dappa (fat in
Kannada) or tingu (short in Hindi).
• Being bullied at school or college for their body size or shape.
• Having a body that is different from the 'ídeal’ body that they see in the media.
• Having a perfectionist attitude.
• Having low self-esteem or self confidence.
• Peer group dynamics and peer pressure to look perfect and 'fit-in’.
Adolescents with poor body image may become very moody and avoid social situations because they
assume that they are not 'fit' to appear in public. Prolonged thoughts about poor body image can
adversely affect a person's daily life and lead to mental health issues such as depression or anxiety, or
in extreme cases, eating disorders or body dysmorphic disorder.
 Here are some ways Parents can help children develop a Positive Body Image:
• Avoid comparison with other children - especially about their looks.
• Avoid comparison and name calling with siblings, cousins.
• Appreciate the child for other qualities such as their kindness, helpful nature or their talents.
• Communicate with other family members to stop commenting on body image.
• Make healthy eating and physical activity part of family routine.
• Parents need to talk to their children about the changes in body during adolescence and reassure them that
they can speak to them about their concerns regarding their physical changes.
THANK YOU!