Teenagers Body Image

Teens and Body Image Kendra Stevenson CM229-09 Unit 6 Draft Kaplan University December 28, 2010

Am I too fat? Would I look better skinny? Am I pretty enough to be a super star? These are questions of an average teenage girl, that I am asked daily and not just because she is my child that I tell her everyday you are beautiful in every way. You can be whatever you choose to be in life. Do not go by what others think or say, the point is what matters to you. Body Image is how one see them self and how they think others see them. It is not based in the truth, but in what is seen as the truth. It is important to reassure teen girls, especially during those formative years, of their inner and outer beauty. Parents should focus
It is important to acknowledge that the objectively overweight or obese child may suffer from poor body image and low self-esteem and therefore engage in less than healthy weight loss methods. Teenagers need to emphasize the importance of self-acceptance and respect for healthy living, as well as the appreciation of size diversity and positive body image (Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne, 2005). Although the epidemic of obesity in youth and adolescents highlights the need for increased physical activity in this population, societal demands for the ideal physique mentality may influence physically active adolescents to adopt unhealthy beliefs and behaviors. Being overweight or obese can bring up body image issues as well. Teens that are overweight or obese, like people of other ages in the same situation may have poor body image as a result (McClune, Patricia, 2009). Children that are dealing with being overweight or obese may develop eating
Body dissatisfaction and body distortion are strong predictors of both mild and severe eating disorders (Fabian, L.J., & Thompson, J.K.). The most common types of eating disorders are Anorexia nervosa, in which a person becomes too thin because they do not enough thinking that they are too fat. Bulimia nervosa, a continuous abnormal hunger characterized by eating large quantities of food followed by purging. Another known eating disorder is binge eating, which is to indulge without restraint in other words out of control eating, (www.faqs.com). Eating disorders are so common in America that 1 or 2 out 100 students will struggle with one. Approximately 5% of adolescents have an anorexia nervosa disorder. An estimated one thousand die each year of anorexia nervosa, as many as 1 in 10 college students from a clinical or nearly clinical eating disorder, including 5.1% who suffer from bulimia nervosa (National Institute on Media and Family). Body image disorders and food phobias are showing up more frequently than they use to. Teens and adolescents are over loaded by images of thin celebrities, people who often weigh far less than their healthy weight, and who may have histories of eating