8th Grade Health:

Body Image

Mr. Callahan2015

What is Body Image?

• Body Image is how you see yourself.• Students in middle school, in the midst of

puberty, begin to establish an individual identity outside the family unit.

• The increasing attention of peers amplify physical differences that become evident as bodies change and develop.

• Physical appearance becomes a major factor in peer & opposite sex relations.

Physical Development +

Body Image=

Development of identity

Risk Factors: Things that can affect your body image

• Gender• Low self-esteem• Timing of maturation • Disordered eating

Protective Factors: Things that can affect your body image positively

• Healthy self-esteem• Positive feelings about physical changes in

puberty• Accurate information about puberty- not

everyone develops at the same rate• Healthy eating & exercise

• Body dissatisfaction is the single strongest predictor of

adolescents developing eating disorders

The 3 big things that affect your body image

•The Media•Peers•Family

The Media

• The AVERAGE American female is 5’4’’ tall and weighs 140 lbs.

• The AVERAGE American model is 5’11’’ and weighs 117 lbs.

• The men and women on magazine covers represent about 0.03% of the population

Peers

• Being an adolescent is tough …• Teased by peers in school/outside of school

for being too fat, too weak, too soft, etc…• If you don’t play sports you’re a wimp or a

geek.• The Feeling that you have to measure up to

everyone else

Family

• Many things parents do can trigger concerns about weight or appearance for their children

• Having parents who are overly concerned about their own weight or appearance could play a role

• Having parents who are obsessive about exercise

• Having parents who focus on “outer” qualities rather than “inner” qualities

Statistics:

• Girls are generally more influenced by body image, with 28% to 55% wanting thinner bodies compared to 17% to 30% of boys

• At age 10-11 years, 80% of girls are convinced they should be thinner

Statistics (cont.)• Over 33% of adolescent girls report

aggressive weight control measures such as chronic dieting, excessive exercise, self-induced vomiting, and abuse of laxative, diet aids, and water pills

• 17.8% of 11-14 year old girls have gone on diets in the past 6 months

• The #1 wish of girls age 11-17 is to be thinner

• The diet industry is a 40 Billion dollar per year business in the the United States.

• Cosmetic Surgery is the fastest growing medical specialty in the United States.

• About 1 million American males have tried steroids at least once to improve their physique. Up to 6% have taken them by the age of 18.

Where Does a Negative Body Image Take Us?

• Dying to fit in…Dying to be thin• Body Obsession can lead to extreme dieting

and exercise.• Over the course of one person’s lifetime(75

years) at least 50,000 individuals will die as a result of an eating disorder.

How to make peace with your body and your body image

• Understand how your bodies change during puberty

• Listen to what your friends say and discourage “put-downs” about their or others’ appearance

• Reassure your friends/peers that you accept them “as is”

Continued…

• Encourage physical activities such as biking, walking, hiking, or roller-blading that enable you to experience the physical strength of your body & the positive feeling of movement, regardless of body shape or size

• We can’t exchange our bodies for new ones. So the best thing is to find peace with the one you have. Your body is where you’re going to be living for the rest of your life!