Body image during puberty
Children of all ages can struggle with negative body image – research shows that children under six years old express dissatisfaction with their bodies[1]. And there’s also evidence to show that children can internalise anti-fat bias from as young as toddlerhood.
But poor body image is particularly common for tweens and teens, as they go through puberty. Shockingly, 66% of children and teens feel bad about their body ‘most of the time’[2].
With the onset of puberty comes drastic changes to bodies and appearance, including changes in weight, height and body shape, alongside characteristics such as hair growth and oily skin. At this age, kids are trying to cope with fluctuating hormones, figure out some sort of independence from caregivers, navigate friendships, cope with school pressures and more. They may also be more exposed to appearance pressures via peers and social media. Body image can play a role, either positively or negatively, in how they navigate all of these issues.
How does puberty affect body image?
Body image is the way we think and feel about our bodies, and in turn how we treat them.
The huge physical, mental and emotional changes that puberty brings can massively affect the way children think and feel about their bodies. At the same time, body image is impacted by attitudes and comments from family and friends on bodies and appearance, as well as messages encountered in the media (such as appearance ideals) or in school (do you know about the National Child Measurement Programme in year 6 which weighs children and reports their BMI?).
A photo from a Body Happy Org Student Session
Positive body image during puberty can help children to appreciate and accept their bodies despite the huge changes they are going through. Fostering positive body image during this time and into adolescence is essential if we want to support children to have a healthy relationship with their bodies, that can last a lifetime.
What is the impact of poor body image amongst tweens and teens?
On the other hand, poor body image is associated with mental health issues such as depression, low mood, decreased self-esteem and eating disorders, or disordered eating behaviours[3],[4],[5].
Signs that your teen or pre-teen is preoccupied with their body might include:
constant self-criticism or comparison with others about the way they look;
obsessing about their weight or specific body parts;
changes in eating behaviours to change the way they look;
or not being involved in their usual activities because of the way they feel about their body.
Body image is fundamental to the way children treat their own bodies – as well as whether they engage in movement and learning activities – and crucially, the way they treat others, including those with bodies that don’t look or function like their own.
What can we do to help?
Body appreciation can help protect teenage girls and boys from the negative effects of media pressures to be thin or to have a body that looks a certain way, as well as from related disordered eating behaviours[6].
Three ways to help foster positive body image during puberty:
Get curious with social media:
If your child is using social media, encourage them to think critically about some of the messages they are receiving from the online world around bodies and appearance, which will help to buffer the harmful influence they can have. This is a massive topic but getting curious is the first step – see this post for more on how media literacy can positively impact body image and how you can help your teen build these vital skills.
2. Positive body talk:
How we talk about bodies and appearance in our homes has a major influence on a child’s body image. Avoid focusing on bodies and appearance and instead compliment your child (and yourself!) on their personality traits, abilities and actions. When it comes to puberty, get guidance on having those ‘cringey conversations’ – check out our Changing Bodies: Parenting Through Puberty webinar with sex educator Debbie Bere which will give you knowledge, confidence and skills to support your child as they navigate puberty and its impact on body image.
3. Diversity matters:
If we’re to teach tweens and teens that all bodies are good bodies, representation and diversity is hugely important. Find diverse body heroes to lift up in your home and for kids to follow on social media. This will help encourage a wider and more inclusive ideal of ‘beauty’ and teach them that every body is worthy of respect.
FURTHER RESOURCES:
Check out our Changing Bodies: Parenting Through Puberty webinar with sex educator Debbie Bere
“Body positivity and sex positivity are carefully intertwined – inclusivity, comfort, confidence, communication and challenging the norm – both empowering all and seeking to improve wellbeing”
Coming soon, for readers aged 9+
Every Body: celebrate, respect and accept ALL bodies – especially your own by Molly Forbes
Every Body is published by Puffin on June 20th 2024.
We all have a body. They don’t always function the same as other people’s. And they certainly don’t all look the same. But one thing is certain – every body deserves respect. This is an essential guide to embracing and respecting all bodies, for readers aged 9+.
References:
[1] Tatangelo, G., McCabe, M., Mellor, D. and Mealey, A. 2016. A systematic review of body dissatisfaction and sociocultural messages about the body among preschool children. Body Image, 18, pp.86-95.
[2] Women and Equalities Committee 2021. Sixth Report: Changing the perfect picture: An inquiry into body image.
[3] Gillen, M.M. 2015. Associations between positive body image and indicators of men’s and women’s mental and physical health. Body Image, Mar 13, pp.67-74.
[4] Goldschmidt, A.B., Wall, M., Choo, T.H.J., Becker, C. and Neumark-Sztainer, D. 2016. Shared risk factors for mood-, eating-, and weight-related health outcomes. Health Psychology, Mar 35 (3), pp.245-52.
[5] Tiggemann, A. and Clark, L. 2016. Predictors and health-related outcomes of positive body image in adolescent girls: A prospective study. Developmental Psychology, 52 (3), pp.463-474.
[6] Jankauskiene, R. and Baceviciene, M. 2022. Media pressures, internalization of appearance ideals and disordered eating among adolescent girls and boys: testing the moderating role of body appreciation. Nutrients, 14, 2227.
By nutritionist, Jennifer Nash