I found some startling statistics online:
- —51% of 9 and 10 year old girls feel better about themselves if they are on a diet
- —42% of elementary school students between the 1st and 3rd grades want to be thinner
- —1 out of 4 college-aged women uses unhealthy methods of weight control—including—Fasting—Skipping meals—Excessive exercise—Laxative abuse—Self-induced vomiting
I thought this was disturbing how young girls are concerned with their weight and appearance. Most have not even reached puberty yet.
Health educators need to enforce the idea that what girls see in magazines and on TV are not necessarily real. Many photos are photo-shopped and the few girls do not need photo shopping are 1 in a million. We need to promote more positive role models for our children and steer away from the typical Britney Spears idol. I think if we focused on teaching our children to make positive and challenging goals for themselves instead of using their bodies, their self-confidence and self-worth would be on the rise.
This video is by Pink, and basically she is making fun of what and who we idolize today, and more importantly, what our children are looking up to. It's really funny but makes a point!
Dear Jessica,
ReplyDeleteGotta love Pink! Everyone should be so self-confident. I do agree with you that health educators should be involved in helping young people understand what healthy body images are. In my research into eating disorders I found that parental participation in media influence is crucial to preventing young women from developing eating disorders. I read that when parents watch programs and surf the internet with their daughters and then have discussions about the content of what was viewed, the young girls developed positive self-images and were empowered to resist eating disorders. It seems the parents need to be educated as well as the children; it is never too young to start conversations about media imagery and the negative impact it can have on a child’s self-esteem.
Thanks for your post!
Delores
Jessica,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your post! The pictures were great and so was the video. There is too much emphasis placed on being "perfect." I have a 9 year old daughter and I worry about the pressures she already faces from peers. I have seen it since she was in the first grade. Health educators do have a huge task in helping young girls and women realize that the things we do to our bodies to look like the images in media (i.e. tanning, plastic surgery, starving, over exercising, etc...) are not healthy. Education and accountability comes in the homes as well. Parental involvement is essential. Great post!
Regards,
Amy Davis
Jessica,
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I enjoyed the visuals with the post too. That picture of Megan Fox's waist is horrible. Like you said, it looks "unnatural." It is sad to read that some girls in elementary school have thwarped images of their bodies. I have two girls, and I always tell them they are beautiful as they are. There is a lot of truth to Pink's video. She is making an important point.
That was an awesome video you posted up of Pink! I truly enjoyed watching it. I love how she basically called out all those artist that promote being anorexic thin is in, when its not and how she is a public figure herself. I also liked the picture of Megan Fox because that's unhealthy skinny, then you wonder why girls now a days want to image over these women that we view so publicly as being beautiful and wanted. I found it extremely disturbing also how children as young as 10 years old would feel better if they were on a diet? How would they even know this I ask myself? ::Shaking my head::
ReplyDeleteJessica,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy your post. The statistics you’ve posted are really startling. I have heard of young girls are more interested in thin image, but it’s shocking to believe that even as young as elementary. I agreed with you that healthcare provider should be more involve to teach these young girls and women every where that these image they see on magazine or TV are unrealistic. However, I think that society as a whole should change the way they view what’s “ideal image”. The older generation should help the younger generation to understand what’s right and wrong. It's really hard to forget about these message when media is constantly reminding you everday.
Sa Phuong Huynh
Jessica
ReplyDeleteI thought your blog was very interesting. I found the statics you would to very alarming. These girls are children and their bodies have not fully developed, how can they expect to look like models at such a young age. I do know that that the Dove Foundation support girls and they have self-esteem workshops. It is very interesting what they are doing for young girls all over the US. You should check it out! You should check out this commercial by Dove Campaign for Real Beauty.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei6JvK0W60I
Angela