Are you dissatisfied with your body shape or weight? Have you ever tried to go on a diet? Do you know any girls who are struggling with their weight? It is not surprising if all of your answers for the above are “yes”. In Western society, the culture of thinness encourages girls to pursue an unrealistic body shape. The discrepancy between the ideal body and realistic body introduces a negative body image. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada (2007), body image is the way we see our bodies, and how we think others perceive us. A negative body image impairs our health and well-being. Many female students have a negative body image and use inappropriate weight-control measures to change their body shape. Recently, the trend is spreading …show more content…
• 60% of girls by grade 6 were dieting, and more than 30% of girls had starved themselves to strive for thinness (Canadian Women’s Foundation, 2013). Factors & causes: 1. Media The dieting, beauty and fashion industries portray skinny models and actresses on TV and advertisements as a marketing strategy to convince girls to buy their products to improve appearance. Many girls consider skinny models and actresses as role models and wish to look like them (Grogan, 2008). This comparison creates self dissatisfaction and a negative body image, which further motivates females to strive for an unrealistic body. 2. Oppression In our male-dominated society, women are being treated unequally through stereotyping (see Figure 5). Dominant groups exaggerate the importance of women’s appearances and labels slim women as good and successful. This standard of how women should look can override a woman’s achievements and intelligence (Grogan, 2008). Society’s criteria of how women should look force girls to pursue a perfect body as a priority over other, more important things, such as education, mental health, etc. 3. Weight-related