BODY IMAGE

21 may 2021

Body image

Mental health action week

What is body image?

Body image - in a nutshell

The beliefs about your own appearance - including memories, assumptions and generalisations

How you feel about your body - including height, shape and weight

How you sense your body - how you physically experience or feel in your body

Body dissatisfaction is worryingly prevalent... 13.4%-31.8% among women 9.0%-28.4% among men

Consequences

• Sociability and relationships
• Academic and career aspirations
• Physical and mental health
• Eating disorders

The Body Positivity Movement

• Grown significantly in the last decade (especially on Instagram)
• Challenge beauty ideals
• Acceptance and respect for all bodies
• Shift from a focus on appearance to a focus on health and functionality of the body
• Existing literature strongly shows the negative effects of idealised images of bodies on social media
• Less is known about the effects of body-positive social media content

Pro's and Con's?

Body Functionality

The things your body can do, rather than what it looks like

• Creative endevaours (e.g., painting, dancing)
• Communication (e.g., body language, sex)
• Self-care (e.g., mediation, taking a bath)

• Physical capacities (e.g., flexibility, stamina)
• Internal processes (e.g., gestation, cell regeneration)

• Bodily senses and perception (e.g., touch, gustation)

Thanks!

m.walden@student.maastrichtuniversity.nlhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/moonwalden/

Resources

NEDA https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org

Beat https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk

Proud 2B Me https://www.proud2bme.nl

Dove self-esteem projecthttps://www.dove.com/uk/dove-self-esteem-project.html