11 Facts About Body Image

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1. "Body image" is the way that someone perceives their body and assumes that others perceive them. This image is often affected by family, friends, social pressure and the media.^[Palmer, Mario. "5 Facts About Body Image." Amplify. Accessed February 24, 2014, http://amplifyyourvoice.org/u/marioapalmer/2013/05/21/byob-be-your-own-beautiful.]
2. People who are unhappy with their bodies and don't seek healthy nutrition information may develop eating disorders. "Eating disorders" are unhealthy relationships with food that may include fasting, constant dieting, or binging and purging.^[Good Therapy. "Eating and Food Issues." Accessed February 23, 2014, http://www.goodtherapy.org/therapy-for-eating-disorders.html.]
3. Body image is closely linked to self-esteem. Low self-esteem in adolescents can lead to eating disorders, early sexual activity, substance use and suicidal thoughts. You can post encouraging notes in your school bathrooms to brighten your classmates’ day. Sign up for Mirror Messages.^[U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "Developing Adolescents." APA: American Psychological Association . Accessed February 24, 2014, http://www.apa.org/pi/families/resources/develop.pdf.]
4. Approximately 91% of women are unhappy with their bodies and resort to dieting to achieve their ideal body shape. Unfortunately, only 5% of women naturally possess the body type often portrayed by Americans in the media.^[Palmer, Mario. "5 Facts About Body Image." Amplify. Accessed February 24, 2014, http://amplifyyourvoice.org/u/marioapalmer/2013/05/21/byob-be-your-own-beautiful.]
5. 58% of college-aged girls feel pressured to be a certain weight.^[National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. "Eating Disorders Statistics." ANAD. Accessed February 24, 2014, http://www.anad.org/get-information/about-eating-disorders/eating-disorders-statistics/.]
6. Studies show that the more reality television a young girl watches, the more likely she is to find appearance important.^[Manwaring, Ayarza. "Reality television and its impact on women 's body image." Encompass. Accessed February 24, 2014, http://encompass.eku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1049&context=etd.]
7. More than 1/3 of the people who admit to “normal dieting,” will merge into pathological dieting. Roughly 1/4 of those will suffer from a partial or full-on eating disorder.^[Geary, Kevin. "What Girls Are Taught About Health and Fitness (Roundtable)." The Rebooted Body. Accessed February 24, 2014, http://rebootedbody.com/038/.]
8. In a survey, more than 40% of women and about 20% of men agreed they would consider cosmetic surgery in the future. The statistics remain relatively constant across gender, age, marital status, and race.^[ASAPS: The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. "Survey Finds That Women Are More Likely To Consider Plastic Surgery Than They Were Ten Years Ago." Accessed February 24, 2014, http://www.surgery.org/media/news-releases/survey-finds-that-women-are-more-likely-to-consider-plastic-surgery-than-they-were-ten-years-ago.]
9. Students, especially women, who consume more mainstream media, place a greater importance on sexiness and overall appearance than those who do not consume as much.^[Palmer, Mario. "5 Facts About Body Image." Amplify. Accessed February 24, 2014, http://amplifyyourvoice.org/u/marioapalmer/2013/05/21/byob-be-your-own-beautiful.]
10. 95% of people with eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25.^[National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. "Eating Disorders Statistics." ANAD. Accessed February 24, 2014, http://www.anad.org/get-information/about-eating-disorders/eating-disorders-statistics/.]
11. Only 10% of people suffering from an eating disorder will seek professional help.^[National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. "Eating Disorders Statistics." ANAD. Accessed February 24, 2014, http://www.anad.org/get-information/about-eating-disorders/eating-disorders-statistics/.]