Do you remember the famous Disney film ‘Snow white and the seven dwarfs’ and the famous mirror her stepmother uses to know who is the fairest of them all? There is no denying the fact that everyone loves to watch themselves in the mirror and the reflection of self, resides in the image that is seen in the mirror. So, what is body image? Is it just the bodily features that you see or is it something more? Body image is the combination of thoughts and feelings one has about their body. It encompasses person’s emotional attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions about their own body. So, overall body image perception is a complex emotional experience. Body image could be positive or negative depending on how one perceives his/her own body.

Positive body image develops when:

 One accepts and appreciates their own body.

 Feels comfortable and confident in their own skin.

 Can differentiate beauty from body image or have a broad concept of beauty.

 Caring for their own body in ways that feel healthy and fulfilling.

 Not letting self-perceptions being influenced by outside influences or societal messages.

Negative body image develops when:

 One feels dissatisfied with their own body and appearance.

 One compares themselves with others and feels inadequate when doing so.

 Monitors their own body for weight, skin changes, zits, engages in measuring body dimensions frequently.

 One feels ashamed and embarrassed of self-image.

 One feels uncomfortable in their own skin.

 Visualize their body parts in the distorted way.

I still remember the different reflections at the mirror house and how it was fun as kids to just watch ourselves in different shapes. So, when do we start thinking into it? When do we start reading beyond just the physical image or the mere reflection that we see in the mirror? What factors contribute to our correct or distorted perceptions regarding self? And what are the effects of negatively perceiving one’s body image?

People who have negative body image and want to lose weight or fit in the dimensions standardized by the society they live in, engage in unhealthy eating habits or do not seek heathy nutrition information thus leading to eating disorders. These include binging, purging, constant dieting, fasting or adhering to some specific diets constantly.

Body image is also linked to self-esteem since self-esteem depends on how one values and perceives self. If the image one perceives in the mirror is negative, it contributes to the negative self-esteem. Low self-esteem especially in youth is linked to eating disorders, early sexual activity, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts.

Approximately 91% of women are unhappy with their bodies and resort to some sort of dieting to achieve their ideal body shape. This leads us to the next question. What is ideal body shape? There are three basic body compositions that people are predetermined to have. These are endomorph, mesomorph, and ectomorph. This concept was theorized by Dr. W.H. Sheldon in early 1940s and according to him, endomorphs have bodies that are always rounded and soft, mesomorphs are always square and muscular, and ectomorphs are always thin and fine-boned. So, before you form a distorted image of self, look at your basic body composition, analyze the functionality, and accept what is naturally given to you. Ask a question to yourself, are we trying to change what is naturally gifted to us? Is it worth it?

Data shows that 58% of college-aged girls feel pressured to be a certain weight. Studies show that the more reality television a young girl watches, the more likely she is to find appearance important. I have clients who tell me that they do not fit in the body standards on social media. They land into depression or feel anxious to approach people in social environments.

Similarly, 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. Sexiness has been an attribute that has been strongly associated with women and more so with the ‘perfect’ body image that they possess. So, it is quite natural to fall into this trap to feel accepted, and to be part of the group. Just the other day, I commented on how the NEWS business has changed its face. When I was a child, I remember more importance being placed on the news per se and the way it was delivered by the newsperson, but now they are all dressed up in formals, have an apt body image as desired by the society, wear stilettoes, are loathed in make-up just to look attractive and in case someone does not want to do it, they are either shown the way out of the door or are put to work behind the scenes even if they possess all the necessary skills to deliver the news effectively.

In the next few blogs, we will discuss each of these topics in details, but the takeaway message would be, do you really want to focus on good looks or beauty?

References:

Brazier, Y. (2020, September 16). Body image: What is it, and how can I improve it? Www.medicalnewstoday.com. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/249190#negative-body-image

DoSomething.org. (2014). 11 Facts About Body Image | DoSomething.org | Volunteer for Social Change. Dosomething.org. https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-body-image

Payne, A. (n.d.). Body Types: How to Train & Diet for Your Body Type. Blog.nasm.org. https://blog.nasm.org/fitness/body-types-how-to-train-diet-for-your-body-type#:~:text=Body%20type%2C%20or%20somatotype%2C%20refers

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