Body Image
Body Image
Linked to self-esteem and selfconcept
Shaped by past experiences
Positive or Negative
Affects Boys and girls
What Is Body Image?
Relates to how you feel about your body
and what you think your body look like to
others
Formed at an early age
Influenced by our parents, caregivers, peers
and life experiences
Every body is different
•
Ideal body weight is the weight that allows
us to feel strong and energetic and lets us
lead a healthy life
Effect on Early Childhood
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YO
HbtM9463c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZA
yD-Hm6y44
A brief history:
1920s—the century of slimming;
college women began dieting,
flapper image in vogue
1930s—modern bra comes into existence;
prior to this it was a camisole,
store manufacturing of clothes rather than
homemade; girls are made to adapt
bodies to clothes rather than the other
way around
p
More…
1960s—dieting becomes a persistent
preoccuation, rather than episodic;
girls start dieting at 9 or 10 instead
of 15
1980s—smaller bikinis, and the “jeaning
of America”; all promoted leaner thighs
(NO thunder thighs);
hair is also a major focus
1990s—piercings!;
what used to be exotic and more
characteristic of primitive people becomes
the latest form of self expression
2000s—???
Slim and toned bodies
Tattoos/piercings
Lasik vision correction
Teeth whitening/cosmetic Surgery
Research on Media Exposure
A 2005 study showed exposure to models
(ultra thin or average size) resulted in lower
body satisfaction and lower self-esteem in
girls aged 11-16.
A 2003 study of female undergraduates
showed that both magazine and TV
exposure to thin ideals were related to
body dissatisfaction.
In a 2005 study of the relationship between
television viewing and body attitudes on 1,500
eighth through eleventh grade boys and girls,
the following was found:
girls considered themselves as more overweight than
boys
boys watched more TV than girls but watched sports,
entertainment, and information shows for enjoyment
while girls watched soap operas and music videos
and did so for social learning purposes
watching soap operas was related to drive for
thinness for boys and girls
watching music videos was not related to any body
image variable for girls, but was related to drive for
muscularity for boys
Positive and Negative Body
Image
People with positive
body image exhibit
•
•
•
•
Self-confidence,
energy, vitality and
positive self-appraisal
Feelings of
attractiveness and
beauty
Trust and respect for
their bodies
Freedom of expression
with their bodies, not
dependent on weight
People with negative
body image describe
•
•
•
•
•
Dissatisfaction with their
physical appearance
Belief that their
appearance is being
scrutinized and
evaluated by others
Excessive emphasis on
physical appearance in
how they evaluate
themselves
Distressing
preoccupation with their
bodies
Feelings of shame
and/or embarrassment
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
Boosting a Body Image?
What are three ways to boost body
image?
If you know people who are always
comparing themselves to others in
terms of appearance, what could you
do or say to help?
How could participating in physical
activity contribute to positive body
image?
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
Dove Self-Esteem Fund
Think critically about the media and
about how much the media work to
influence people of all ages
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHq
zlxGGJFo
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.
It is ALL AROUND US!
Perfection
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
Women are Decorative/Sex Objects
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.
Thin is Beautiful
Thinness is Associated with Health
Magazine Models
•Don’t believe everything that you see and read!
Real or Not?
Real
Not
Facts!
• there are 3 BILLION women who don’t look like super
models and only 8 who do
•Marilyn Monroe wore a size 12 (that would make her a
PLUS size model today)
• If shop mannequins were real women, they’d be too thin
to menstruate
• models in magazines are airbrushed – they’re not
perfect
• 20 years ago, models weighed 8% less than the
average women. Today, they weigh 23% less
Effect of Media on body Image
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAW
4LIFYFng&feature=related
How to improve body image…
1. Celebrate our natural sizes – enjoy the diversity of our
body shapes
2. Become informed and recognize and challenge myths
and misperceptions about body image
3. Challenge weight prejudice. Challenge the media.
4. Boycott the diet industry
5. Educate others around the issues of weight prejudice
and set point theory
6. Surround yourself with a range of realistic body images
7. Surround yourself with positive people who build you up,
not tear you down
8. Positive affirmations – learning to love yourself is a
process, it takes time to truly love the skin you are in 
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.