The Effects of Behavioral Diversity on Body Image

Bjorn Erik Freeman

American College of EducationJanuary 9, 2017

Introduction• There are a lot of factors that influence our body image. • We all have an opinion about our body. These opinions are shaped by

different things in the environment. • These include things that are said directly to us, as well as the

messages we hear about others.

• Our perceptions influence our decision making. • It can be easy to develop an unrealistic perception about our body.• Our perceptions can lead to dangerous eating behaviors, that can have

severe consequences.• It’s important for us to consider how what we say affects perception. • We need to understand that being healthy isn’t just about the way we

look.

Case Study: The Effects of Body Image on women • We all have a perception of our body, and these

perception are influenced by different factors.

• Culture plays a significant role in forming appearance ideals (Bakhshi, 2011).

• These perceptions vary for women of different cultures (Bakhshi, 2011).

• Women of different ethnicities are dissatisfied with their bodies (Bakhshi, 2011).

So what are the actions that people make based on these perceptions?

• Weight loss diets

• Fad Diets

• Eating disorders

Factors influencing health behaviors• Culture plays a role in our

perceptions• Eastern cultures traditionally promoted

more realistic body ideals compared to western cultures.

• Acculturation• Thinner body ideals are becoming more

common among eastern cultures (Bakhshi, 2011).

• Social norms• Unrealistic body ideals are becoming

the perception of what is beautiful.• Many or our young women around the

world are developing the belief that they are unattractive because they compare themselves to these unrealistic ideals.

• Practices• Many of our women are turning to fad

diets and eating disorders.

Psychosocial aspects of a distorted body image

• Social factors that lead to eating disorders.

• Idealistic images created by advertising.

• Social pressures to look a certain way.

• Jokes being made by peers.

• Being called fat.

• Perceptions that food is the enemy.

Social Cognitions Impact on Body Image• How many negative thoughts and comments do we hear

every day?• How do we process these comments?• How do we respond to these thoughts and comments?

• Body dissatisfaction is associated with:• impaired emotional well-being, • low self-esteem, • elevated depressive symptoms, • low physical activity and • disordered eating

(Craike & Young, 2016).

• Perceptions of body weight and size, rather than actual (BMI) are more strongly related to these outcomes (Craike & Young, 2016).

Influence of Relationships on Health Behavior Changes

• Those who have successfully recovered from these types of illnesses emphasize the vital role of social support in their recovery (Patel & Tchanturia, 2016).

• If our negative comments can have a strong effect, why can’t positive comments be the answer to help us build a healthy image?

• Adolescent females experience early and increasing body size dissatisfaction and dieting as they age (Craike & Young, 2016).

• Sending positive messages about what true beauty is can help us develop a better self-image as we age.

How Relationships Can Hinder Health Behavioral Changes

• What we say to each other makes a difference.

• Having a good social support system influences our behaviors.

• Adults with eating disorders report:• smaller social networks.• difficulties with social functioning. • Difficulties dealing with emotions

in social contexts.• Poorer quality relationships. (Patel & Tchanturia, 2016).

Conclusion

• There are a lot of aspects that have an impact on our health behaviors.

• Developing a good body image starts with understanding messages and understanding how they influence our perceptions.

• Health educators can have a great influence on the development of a healthy body image.

• We can help our students build their self-esteem by focusing on the positive.

• We can help them develop good health habits that will lead to long term health.

• We can help them to learn good social skills that help them to develop positive relationships.

References

• Bakhshi, S. (2011). Women's body image and the role of culture: A reviewof the literature. Europe's Journal of Psychology. 7(2), 374-394.

• Craike, M., Young, J. A., Symons, C. M., Pain, M. D., Harvey, J. T., Eime, R. M., Payne, W. R. (2016). Trends in Body Image of Adolescent Females in Metropolitan and Non-Metropolitan Regions: a longitudinal study. BMC Public Health.16(1), 1-9. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-016-3815-1.

• Patel, K., Tchanturia, K., Harrison, A. (2016). An Exploration of Social Functioning in Young People with Eating Disorders: A Qualitative Study. PLoS ONE. 11(7), 1-23. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0159910.