Hero photograph
What we see is not always real, nearly every image is altered with Photoshop.
 

Level 2 Health

Ella Lee (12CS) —

The Level 2 Health class recently started to investigate an issue around the false expectations we see in the media to do with body image. We have decided to raise awareness and teach positive coping skills to help young people deal with the stress and pressure the media places on them.

We have decided to focus most of our energy on the Year 10 group because we recognised that body image is the biggest issue within this group of students.

We have learnt that we are being influenced by the media in the wrong way and what we see is not always real. These images give young people false expectations about their bodies but it’s what society believes to be attractive.

Most of the time the images aren’t realistic or healthy. They are putting a negative perspective in young people’s heads. They are faced with these images everyday and are led to believe that what they see is ‘beauty’.

Companies alter nearly everything about their models, with photoshop. Jo Swinson of the British Liberal Democratic said, "When teenagers and women look at these pictures in magazines, they end up feeling unhappy with themselves… If people knew they had to describe what they had altered, it might make them less likely to do it. These photos can lead people to believe in realities that very often, do not exist."

We have found that over 90% of girls aged 14-17 years old want to change at least one thing on their physical appearance.

We also found that 25% of boys who are of normal weight think of themselves as underweight, and 90% of teenage boys workout with the goal of bulking up.

With all the images of skinny and “beautiful” females in the media is it any wonder why 90% of teenage girls want to change something? Or with the amount of muscular and lean males are you surprised that teenage boys are working so hard to bulk up?

These images are leaving young people with the feeling of self doubt and confidence issues. With short term consequences like this there are negative long term effects later down in life. Such as the development of mental illnesses e.g. depression and anxiety, emotional changes etc.

We want to help and educate your children and you on the negative implications from the media. We have come up with some helpful tips and coping skills to allow people to disregard these images and see their own bodies as a thing of beauty.

  • Positive self talk/positive mind set
  • Having a group of supportive friends that you can talk to
  • Knowing an adult (family member, teacher, youth leader) that you feel
  • comfortable talking to
  • Having goals to work towards
  • Good self esteem
  • Knowledge on the issue