4. Body Image
Where do we get our perception of what the
perfect body is?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=SCxjUrNbIkI
5. Eating Disorders
• 8,000,000 people in the United States have
diagnosed eating
disorders
• 90% of people diagnosed
with eating disorders are
women
6. More Statistics
• 10% of U.S. girls and
women are suffering
from eating disorders
• 50,000 will die as a
direct result
• Eating disorders and
substance abuse have
the highest mortality
of all psychiatric
disorders
7. What is body image?
• the mental image of
one's own body.
8. Origins of Body Image
We are not born with a
body image. We
learn it from family,
peers, the press,
movies, and television.
Our culture reinforces
only certain images.
9. Cosmetic Surgery
• “Cosmetic surgery is the fastest growing
medical specialty. Throughout the
1980’s as women gained power,
unprecedented numbers of them sought
out and submitted to the knife.”
Naomi Wolf
• Men are beginning to enter into
cosmetic surgery with the same desire
as women to fit the cultural norm.
10. Body Image Is:
• Mental
• Physical
• Emotional
• Perceptive
• Imaginative
12. Media Influence
• Models
• Health and fashion
magazine covers
• Computer doctored photos
• “Barbie” and Arnold
Schwarzenegger
• Music-video queens and
kings
• Movies, billboards,
television
• http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=wA331SpzYy4
13. The Diet/Fitness Craze
We are influenced through:
• Diet foods
• Diet commercials
• Diet centers
• Diet books
• “abs” and workout videos
• Health clubs
• Body size talk
• Fashion
14. The Media Influence
• Billions are spent on
cosmetics, new diets,
and clothes
• We are constantly
trying to reshape and
remake our bodies into
the media image
15. Body Image
• Directly related to self-
esteem
• Developed through
interactions with others
• Reflects our mental
picture of ourselves
• Contains our thoughts,
feelings, judgments,
sensations, awareness and
behavior
16. You Can Develop a Healthy
Body Image
1. Listen to your body,
and eat only when
you are hungry.
2. Be realistic about the
size you are likely to
be based on your
genetics and
environment.
17. Developing a Healthy Body Image
3. Exercise regularly doing
something you enjoy.
4. Expect normal weekly
and monthly changes in
weight and shape.
5. Be gentle with yourself –
work toward self-
acceptance and
forgiveness.
18. Developing a Healthy Body Image
6. Ask for
encouragement from
friends and family
when life is stressful.
7. Make some life
decisions about what
is most important to
you and pursue them.
19. What You Can Do
• Force yourself to look
for your good points
in the mirror
• Decide which of the
cultural pressures
prevent you from
feeling good about
yourself
• Exercise to feel good
about yourself
20. Body Image Project
• Create collage/picture on what you think is
the perfect body.
• Must include at least 10 pictures/words.
• Must describe why you choose each word.
