Information from: National Eating Disorders collaboration, Integris Health
"Body image is a combination of the thoughts and feelings that you have about your body" - NEDA
Everyone has body image, maybe you look in the mirror one day and think "I like how i look today" or you've been on a long walk you look at your thighs and think "wow these thighs are THICC and STRONG". Or maybe you feel more negatively towards your body, you might think "I look bad in this outfit" or "I want to hide my stomach rolls". Body image can change and fluctuate, ranging from positive to negative.
So why is it such a big deal? It's normal to dislike parts of your body right? Well...
"Body dissatisfaction and overvaluing body image are risk factors making some people more susceptible to developing an eating disorder than others." - NEDA
Someone with negative body image or 'body dissatisfaction' can become fixated on trying to change their body, maybe to loose weight or gain muscle. This can cause unhealthy behaviours such as dieting, restrictive eating, over exercising or supplement taking.
What are some signs of body dissatisfaction?
Constant negative body talk
Repetitive Dieting
Constant checking, measuring or weighing body
Seeing appearance as vital to self worth
Over exercising
"Research shows that social media use is associated with increased body dissatisfaction and disordered eating." - NEDA
"Social media portrays images that are filtered and edited and tends to show the ‘highlights’ of a person and their life. These images promote an unrealistic appearance ideal that cannot be achieved in real life." - NEDA
TOP TIP
Consider unfollowing social media accounts that trigger negative body image, or cause you to compare yourself to others.
Body Image and Mental Health
As well as being at risk of developing disordered eating, negative body image can have a big effect on a persons mental health.
"Poor body image increases risk for depression and anxiety" - Integris Health
So it seems like improving our body image is a good idea, but how do we do it? Check out our blog post on improving body image! Sources:
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