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What is body image?
Body image is the way we feel about our bodies and our appearance. It's how we perceive ourselves when we look in the mirror; and it's how we feel living in our own bodies.
What is a positive body image?
A positive body image is accepting yourself as you are and feeling good in the bodies we have. It's about embracing our perfection and our imperfections.
What is a negative body image?
People who have a negative body image dislike just about everything about their looks-regardless of the reality. They see themselves as too fat, ugly, flabby, constantly comparing themselves to others.
Does body image affect self-esteem?
Yes. Self-esteem is about valuing yourself, feeling worthwhile, having a sense of identity and self-worth. Kids who have high self-esteem will enjoy life more.
Are girls the only ones who worry about body image?
While there is certainly more pressure on girls to look a certain way, boys are feeling that pressure, too. While girls think they should be model thin, boys think they should look like athletes. Some concerns regarding boys are:
- Lifting weights at a young age, prior to age 14, can damage muscles, tendons and bones that are still growing.
- Boys, especially those want to compete, may take steroids or other enhancement drugs. Steriod-type supplements sold in many health food stores can cause health problems.
When does a desire to change one's body image become a serious concern?
Most kids have some feature or body type they wish they could change. It's when that dream becomes an obsession that the warning signals should be addressed. Other warning signs to watch for revolve around eating disorders.
What is an eating disorder?
An eating disorder is an illness that causes a person to adopt harmful eating habits. It is characterized by symptoms such as a persistent pattern of dysfunctional eating or dieting behavior. The two most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
What is anorexia nervosa?
Anorexia is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss. It is a psychological disorder characterized by an aversion to eating and fear of gaining weight.
What is bulimia nervosa?
Bulimia is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by a cycle of binging and compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting, and/or the overuse of diuretics or laxatives.
Is binge eating the same as bulimia?
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is a type of eating disorder characterized by recurrent binge or compulsatory eating, typically without purging of food. Binge eating disorder may lead to obesity.
What are the health consequences of anorexia?
Anorexia deprives the body of essential calories, vitamins and nutrients needed to function properly. The body's normal functions slow down resulting in:
- Dehydration
- Weakness, tiredness, light-headedness, and fainting
- Hair loss
- Dry skin
- Loss of bone density
- Muscle weakness and muscle loss
- Low blood pressure
- Slowed heart rate
- Heart failure
What are the health consequences of bulimia?
The cycle of binging and purging puts the body into imbalance, effecting the digestive tract, electrolytes and chemicals necessary for proper organ function. Serious health concerns include:
- Inflammation of the throat and esophagus from purging
- Tooth decay from the stomach acids during purging
- Rupture of the stomach due to binging
- Irregular bowl movements and constipation
- Peptic ulcers and pancreatitis
- Irregular heartbeat and possibly heart failure
What are the health consequences of binge eating?
This behavior can often have the same health effects as chronic obesity.
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Heart disease
- Type II diabetes
- Gallbladder disease
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"Even though your kids will consistently do the exact opposite of what you're telling them to do, you have to keep loving them just as much." -Bill Cosby Teaching Body Confidence Each year, millions of Americans are diagnosed with eating disorders, and 90% of those diagnosed are adolescent and young women. Even more alarming, this number has doubled since the 1960s, with the age groups getting younger, as young as seven years of age.
Our Teaching Body Confidence webinar, presented by Rebecca L. Manley, Founder of the Multiservice Eating Disorders Association, (MEDA), offers recommendations for helping children develop a healthy body image. Purchase this vital webinar for only $ 15.00!
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