Body Image
Today’s society is very image conscious - and everyone can be quite superficial at times. Women are 'supposed' to be sleek, slender and slim. Men are supposed to be muscular and trim. But, the truth is, very few people naturally possess their desired physical appearance.
Most of us are ordinary people, with bumps, bulges, fat and fleshiness. This doesn't make us inadequate or worth less than anyone else. The true value in everyone is inside. It is those people who truly love themselves no matter what their public appearance who deserve the greatest credit in our society.
Increasingly body image is becoming an issue among young people. Most magazines tend to build up unrealistic images which young people aspire to. Steroid use by young men and eating disorders among both men and women are becoming particularly dangerous.
As parents, the best time to help your child develop a positive body image is well before their teens. Unrealistic ideas about looks and the “ideal body” can affect children and young people from very early ages. Parents’ own eating habits, sense of body image and attitudes can affect their child, in both positive and negative ways.
Distortions in body image could be an early warning sign for a developing eating disorder, and therefore there are ways you may help to prevent such: helping children accept themselves for who they are – both on the inside and the outside; enjoy the shape of your own body; learn other characteristics that can be appreciated, other than looks (eg, personality).
About 25 per cent of our self-esteem is tied up in how we look, we can't feel good about ourselves until we truly accept our body shape and learn to love who we are.