Adolescent body image

Recently, the issue of body image has been a concern for the parents I am working with. One parent reported that her teenage daughter recently began to focus a lot of negative attention on her size in comparison to others, she began eating less at meals and began spending a lot of time looking at model-like figures and comparing herself to them. . This particular mom was concerned that she might develop an eating disorder, and rightly so, based on some of the signs she was seeing. Has she ever heard her teenager say: “I’m too skinny or too fat”, “My skin is too light or too dark”, “I’m too tall or too short”? If so, your teen may be struggling with her body image. As a parent, what does she do when she is concerned about her teen’s body image and its possible negative impact on her functioning?

For starters, What is “body image”? Body image is psychological in nature and is influenced by self-esteem (how much one values ​​oneself) and self-esteem and is learned over time. Body image is constantly changing and is how you perceive your physical body and how you think others perceive you. Body image is shaped by those around someone, the messages one receives from others and the media, and through one’s own life experiences. In short, body image is what you see and feel when you think about your body.

Adolescence is a very difficult time in general, as teenagers are negotiating their place in the larger world and often feel insecure or confused. Also, as we all know, there are many changes to the body that occur as a result of puberty that can lower an individual’s self-esteem. Girls are three times more likely to have a negative body image according to the National Mental Health Information Clearinghouse. This may be related to the fact that girls store more body fat during adolescence, which changes the overall look and feel of their bodies. A lot of pressure is put on teens about how they “should” look, which can be overwhelming and can lead to a drastic response that fails to take nutritional or medical concerns into account. It can be very confusing for teens to see tons of marketing for fast food and snacks, and at the same time looking at models, actors, singers, and other public figures who are unusually thin or appear “perfect.”

As was the case with the parent mentioned at the beginning of this article, many parents want to support their teen but at the same time are concerned that an eating disorder will develop because of their teen’s poor body image. This is a legitimate concern: The National Eating Disorders Association estimates that between 5 and 10 million girls and women and 1 million boys and men battle eating disorders.

As a parent, it helps to know some of the Signs and symptoms of an eating disorder which include (this list is not intended to be inclusive):

1. Abnormal weight loss of 25% or more without any medical explanation
2. A marked reduction in food intake and/or a denial of hunger
3. Prolonged exercise despite exhaustion, fatigue, or weakness
4. Intense fears of gaining weight
5. Purge after meals
6. Bingeing at times and then significantly restricting food at other times
7. Unusual patterns of handling food or eating food

If you think your teen has or is developing an eating disorder, you should seek professional medical and psychological treatment as soon as possible and be aware that the treatment process for a full-blown eating disorder can be a long process. If you’re concerned that your child has a poor body image but you don’t feel like they have an actual eating disorder, the following suggestions may be helpful:

1. Don’t encourage your teen to eat, watch them eat, or initiate weight conversations. This will only draw more attention to the problem and they may pick up on your nervousness about this problem.

2. Don’t talk bad about food or weight and don’t point out how good someone looks just because they’re skinny.

3. Don’t feel guilty as a parent if your teen has body image issues; It’s not his fault, and it’s important that he focus not on feelings of guilt, but on ways he can offer support.

4. Don’t let your worries cause you to neglect other things in your life, such as outside interests or other family members who need your attention and support just as much as your teen who is struggling with body image.

5. Don’t put them down or try to compare them to others; this will only further reduce their low self-esteem.

6. Let them know you are there to listen if THEY want to talk about it.

7. Focus a lot on other things that they do well, not just how they look so that they see their self-worth as more than their physical appearance.

8. Encourage your teen to be active by doing things they enjoy instead of focusing on specific weight-loss activities that are rigid and feel like a chore rather than fun.

9. Encourage your teen to find something positive about himself each day; It can be challenging at first, but it will help you focus on your competencies and the positive things you can offer others.

10. Have fun, nutritious foods around the house so your teen doesn’t feel guilty when she wants to snack.

11. If possible (and this is very, very difficult), try to limit your teen’s exposure to media that portrays unrealistic body types.

12. Compliment actions: Compliment what they do, not how they look.

13. Love your child: you will be noticed and your acceptance is extremely important to him, even if you don’t show it!