YOUNG PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCES OF BODY-IMAGE ISSUES AND THEIR IDEAS FOR POLICY SOLUTIONS - July 2021
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YOUNG PEOPLE’S
EXPERIENCES OF BODY-
IMAGE ISSUES AND THEIR
IDEAS FOR POLICY SOLUTIONS
July 2021
Registered Charity No. 801130 (England), SC039714 (Scotland). Company Registration No. 2350846.2.
INTRODUCTION
As our young people increasingly grow The scale of the problem led us to focus on
up online – immersed in a visual world of body image as the topic for Mental Health
social media, celebrity, and advertising – Awareness Week 20195. Our research,
the pressure on their body image has never conducted for this awareness week,
been greater. Yet this pressure has grown showed 37% of teenagers had felt upset
largely unchecked. Young people are taught about their body image in the past week
to aspire to unattainable body ideals by and 31% had felt ashamed6.
social media influencers and, at the same
The development of our new guidance for
time, encounter shaming, stigmatising
young people and their parents, supported
narratives about their weight in the form of
by the Joint Council of Cosmetic
government-led anti-obesity campaigns.
Practitioners (JCCP) and British Beauty
Negative body image is not trivial. Research Council, has given us the opportunity to
shows that body dissatisfaction is linked with revisit our body image policies with young
a poorer quality of life and psychological people themselves, using insights from the
distress1, greater likelihood of depression2,3, coproduction group who worked on the
and the risk of developing unhealthy eating guide for young people.
habits and eating disorders .43. PERSPECTIVES FROM MHF’S YOUNG LEADERS POLICY GROUP We worked with our Mental Health Foundation (MHF) Young Leaders Policy Group to understand the sources of negative body image in a young person’s life, what body image means for their mental health, and what solutions they think could help to protect their body image and promote self-acceptance. The MHF Young Leaders are a group of 14–25-year-olds from diverse backgrounds and a range of different lived experiences, who are hosted by Leaders Unlocked. Our Policy Group for this topic was a subsection of the wider MHF Young Leaders group.
4.
SOURCES OF BODY
DISSATISFACTION
“I’VE STARTED
Our discussions with the Young Leaders
NOT LIKING WHAT
MY ACTUAL FACE
identified five sources of distress relating to LOOKS LIKE WITHOUT
body image: social media, celebrities and A FILTER ON. I THINK
cultural influencers, advertising, cultural SOCIAL MEDIA SHOULD
norms and family pressure, and schools. TONE DOWN THE
AMOUNT OF FILTER
The young people identified social media USAGE.”
as a place which has a particularly negative
effect on their body image.
Social media platforms present a
“SOCIAL MEDIA
selective view of other people’s lives; MAKES YOUNG PEOPLE
users are able to post their best pictures, THINK IT’S A REALISTIC
emphasise successes, and gloss over and GOAL TO GET THE PERFECT
exclude anything that does not fit their
IMAGE, LOTS OF YOUNGER
BOYS AND GIRLS THINK
desired narrative or look. This can lead to THAT’S WHAT THEY SHOULD
unhelpful, distorted comparisons between LOOK LIKE. BEFORE, PEOPLE
the highly selective, manipulated social DIDN’T TALK ABOUT THE
FILTERS THEY USE,
media feeds of others, and an individual’s BUT NOW THEY’RE
own perceived shortcomings. Troublingly, STARTING TO.”
social media has also enabled the rise of
image editing, allowing users to alter their
face-shape or body image to achieve a
level of “perfection” and uniformity in their “MY YOUNGER
appearance that would not realistically be
SISTER WATCHES
TIKTOKS, AND SHE
achievable offline. This dissonance between ASKS WHY SHE
online appearance and actual appearance DOESN’T LOOK LIKE
can be hugely detrimental to a young THEM OR WHY HER
person’s body image:
BODY DOESN’T LOOK
LIKE THAT?”5.
Social media intersects with the rising However, while it is easy to demonise
power of celebrities and influencers to set celebrities and influencers for their role
expectations around body image: in promoting unhealthy, unrealistic body
images, the young people in our group were
acutely aware of the pressures on celebrities
“INFLUENCERS and influencers themselves, and the bullying
AND CELEBRITIES they would have to endure if they were to
HAVE A BIG INFLUENCE deviate from people’s expectations of their
ON HOW OTHERS appearance. This toxic environment makes
PORTRAY THEMSELVES.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE it difficult for people in the public eye to
WANT TO LOOK LIKE celebrate difference and to be body positive.
THEM AND SOMETIMES
Advertising is another source of body
THERE IS A LACK OF
TRANSPARENCY WITH dissatisfaction for young people.
THEIR BODY IMAGE AND Like social media, the medium of advertising
HOW THEY LOOK.”
is successful when it builds by aspiration.
In the case of body image, this creates
perverse incentives to promote aspiration
to unrealistic and unachievable body
The body types presented on the television
images; if someone is unhappy about their
programme, Love Island, were seen as being
appearance, they are more likely to be
particularly problematic for young people’s
drawn to products and services promising to
body image:
address those perceived shortcomings:
“LOVE “WE
ISLAND ONLY SEE CELEBS
PROMOTES ONE BODY AND INFLUENCERS
TYPE, ‘THIS IS WHAT YOU ADVERTISE THINGS ON
SHOULD LOOK LIKE IF YOU THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT
WANT TO FIND LOVE’. EVERY THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS
YEAR THEY ARE ALWAYS GOING TO HELP AN INDIVIDUAL
SLIM, [WITH] PERFECT GYM LOOK LIKE THAT PERSON. IT’S
BODIES AND THEY’RE NOT ALMOST LIKE THEY’RE SELLING
REPRESENTATIVE OF NORMAL FALSE ADVERTISEMENTS, BECAUSE
EVERYDAY PEOPLE. IT’S NOT DIETS ARE LONGER THAN THE
A GOOD LESSON TO PUT OUT TIMES THAT ARE ADVERTISED IF
THERE: ‘IF YOU’RE LOOKING YOU WANT TO LOOK A CERTAIN
FOR A RELATIONSHIP, YOU WAY, LIKE THEM. THEY MAY HAVE
HAVE TO LOOK LIKE OTHER SUPPLEMENTS, EXERCISE
THIS.’” METHODS, AND SELECT DIETS TO
HELP THEM KEEP THEIR SHAPE,
RATHER THAN A SINGLE
WORKOUT OR
SUPPLEMENT.”6.
However, despite this underlying logic, the The young people also reported that family
group did feel that change is possible, and pressure can exert an influence on their
that there are good examples of body- perception of their body image.
positive advertising, and a public appetite
for this:
“THE
OLDER
“WITHOUT GENERATION WOULD
REALISING IT, CELEBRATE WHEN
PEOPLE EMPHASISE YOU LOSE WEIGHT AND
‘GETTING THEIR BODY OTHERS WOULD COMMENT
READY FOR SUMMER’. ON IT TOO. BUT IF YOU
THERE WAS A HUGE GAIN WEIGHT, NOBODY
BILLBOARD WHERE THE CELEBRATES JUST
IMAGE WAS A MODEL IN A BEING HEALTHY.”
BIKINI WITH THE CAPTION
‘ARE YOU BEACH BODY
READY?’ AND THERE WAS “MY
A LOT OF COMPLAINTS GIRLFRIEND’S
AROUND IT, SO THINGS PARENTS
ARE DEFINITELY CONSTANTLY
CHANGING.” COMMENTED ON HER
WEIGHT WHEN SHE
WAS OVERWEIGHT,
AND IT HAD A
“THERE NEGATIVE IMPACT
IS AN ADVERT ON HER.”
THAT SHOWS
NORMAL BODY TYPES
AND UN-AIRBRUSHED
FOOTAGE, WHICH CAN
MAKE PEOPLE FEEL
BETTER ABOUT
THEMSELVES.”7.
The pressures that a young person might While different cultures have different
experience within the home vary between beauty ideals, the young leaders also
different cultures: spoke of the body image pressures caused
by exposure to different cultural beauty
standards.
“IN
MY CULTURE,
IT’S NOT REALLY “WHITE
ACCEPTABLE TO BE WOMEN WEAR
SKINNY SO I GET ‘SKINNY-
SHAMED’. I WISH I WASN’T A LOT OF TAN AND
SKINNY; PEOPLE DON’T MEAN BLACK OR ASIAN WOMEN
HARM WHEN THEY SAY ‘I WISH LIGHTEN THEIR SKIN
I WAS AS SKINNY AS YOU’ BUT TO LOOK WHITE. A LOT
THEY DON’T REALISE IT’S OF PEOPLE DO NOT FEEL
NOT GLAMOUROUS TO BE COMFORTABLE IN THEIR
SKINNY, YOU’RE MEANT TO OWN SKIN DUE TO THE
BE CURVY, IT DOESN’T FIT COLOUR OF IT.”
WITH OUR CULTURE.”
“COLOURISM
“SOME IS A THING TOO,
AS PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
CULTURES ARE MADE TO FEEL DIFFERENT
DIFFERENT. MY BECAUSE OF THE COLOUR
CARIBBEAN FAMILY OF THEIR SKIN. I HAVE BEEN
MEMBERS ALMOST TOLD, AS A MIXED-RACED
CONGRATULATED ME FOR INDIVIDUAL, THAT I AM
GAINING WEIGHT TO GET ‘LUCKY’ THAT MY SKIN ISN’T
CURVES. WHEREAS OTHER AS DARK, AND IT IS WRONG
BACKGROUNDS WOULD FOR PEOPLE TO SAY THAT.
SHAME YOU FOR GAINING THERE SHOULD BE NO IDEAL
WEIGHT AND NOT BE SKIN TYPE AS WE ARE
ACCEPTING.” ALL DIFFERENT.”
“A
LOT OF
SCHOOLS AND
WORKPLACES
PREVENT CERTAIN
HAIRSTYLES BEING
WORN THERE
WHEN IT CAN
BE A CULTURAL
THING.”8.
Schools are a potential source of support Our work with the young leaders suggests
for young people and their body image. that government messaging in their obesity
However, this was not the experience of our campaigns can seriously undermine
young leaders: competing messages of body positivity
and self-acceptance that they might
otherwise hear at school. This is supported
“YOUNG by evidence given to the Women and
PEOPLE IN
EDUCATION ARE BEING Equalities Select Committee, which they
BULLIED FOR THE SHAPE highlighted in their report, concluding
AND SIZE OF THEIR BODY. that “The current Obesity Strategy is at
THEY FEEL LIKE THEY CAN’T best ineffective and at worst perpetuating
GO TO ANYONE AS THEY WILL
JUST ‘GET TOLD TO GET ON unhealthy behaviours”.7 They recommend
WITH IT’ OR ‘IT’S A PART OF that PHE should stop using BMI as a
LIFE’. IT’S AN EXTRA FORM measure of individual health and adopt a
OF STRESS ON AN ALREADY ‘Health at Every Size’ approach.
STRESSFUL TIME FOR
SCHOOL STUDENTS.”
“BMI
HAS A
NEGATIVE IMPACT
ON INDIVIDUALS’
MENTAL HEALTH SCHOOL
STUDENTS HAVE HAD A
LOT OF ANXIETY AROUND
GOING BACK TO SCHOOL
DUE TO THE EMPHASIS
ON LOOKING AT YOUR
BMI. THIS EVEN [HAS]
AN IMPACT ON
EDUCATION.”9.
THE MENTAL
HEALTH IMPACT OF
POOR BODY IMAGE
The multiple body image pressures can have on your day-to-day life and it
that exist can make the world feel like impacts so many of us. People who are seen
a judgemental, appearance-focused as ‘ugly’ are treated differently, in a more
place, putting beauty at the centre of a negative way, compared to someone who is
person’s worth. seen as ‘better looking’.”
With the body changes that occur during When body image is particularly low, it can
adolescence, young people are especially take a toll on a person’s life. In particular,
vulnerable to these pressures, and this can the young people reported that it can feed
lead to a range of negative emotions: into self-isolation, which can contribute to
feelings of loneliness, another important
driver of young people’s poor mental health8.
“YOUR
BODY IS ALWAYS
CHANGING THROUGH “IT
PUBERTY SO THAT’S CAN IMPACT ALL
AN ADDED STRESS WALKS OF YOUR LIFE
TO PEOPLE’S BODY AND I HAD A FRIEND
IMAGE.” THAT STRUGGLED WITH
HER MENTAL HEALTH AND
HER WELLBEING, SO SHE
MISSED OUT ON SO MANY
The young people in our policy group told THINGS BECAUSE SHE
us that body image can be central to a REFUSED TO GO OUTSIDE
person’s self-worth: IF SHE DIDN’T FEEL
COMFORTABLE WITH
Your self-worth is not there when you’re HERSELF.”
feeling low. We get called snowflakes for
being more open with our emotions and
mental health, but some people don’t
realise how much of an impact body image10.
The young people also felt a keen sense of Even following conventional advice to take
injustice that the government and other control of social media by strategically
authority figures in their lives perpetuate a following or unfollowing accounts to
shaming narrative around weight gain, BMI, minimise unhelpful influences and to
and obesity, yet government policy does maximise positive images and sentiments
not support make it easy for disadvantaged can be challenging, contributing to a sense
people to live a healthy lifestyle. This places of powerlessness to control the situation:
impossible expectations on individuals
to look after their own health, without
empowering them to actually do so: “THE
PRESSURE TO
LOOK A CERTAIN
WAY MADE ME CHANGE
“SCHOOLS MY HABITS ON SOCIAL
COULD MEDIA TO MAKE MYSELF
TEACH YOUNG FEEL BETTER ABOUT
PEOPLE HOW TO MYSELF, BUT SOMETIMES
MAKE HEALTHY LOOKING AT PERSONAL
MEALS THAT ARE TRAINERS WHO TRY TO
AFFORDABLE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO LIVE A
MAKE.” HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE CAN
ALSO HAVE A NEGATIVE
IMPACT ON ME TOO.”
“HEALTHY
FOOD IS SO
EXPENSIVE AND
YOUNG PEOPLE
ARE SHAMED FOR
BEING OVERWEIGHT
WHEN IT’S HARD FOR
SOME PEOPLE TO
GET HEALTHIER
FOODS.”11.
RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR ACTION
1. The Department for Education should include education on
promoting body positivity in the Health Education curriculum,
embracing who we are as individuals; how to be healthy in an
affordable way; normalising, acknowledging, and raising awareness of
‘differences’; and teaching us how to talk to others about body image.
The young leaders felt that education should “the impact of unhealthy or obsessive
be a setting in which they are taught to comparison with others online (including
recognise the sources of negative body image, through setting unrealistic expectations for
address the cognitive distortions at play, body image)”. This should be much more
and understand the mental health impact comprehensive: the Government’s decision
of a negative body image. Education should to favour flexibility over being prescriptive
promote body positivity and self-acceptance in the curriculum means that schools can
and raise awareness and embrace difference make as much or as little of this topic as they
in a culturally sensitive way. Culture, heritage, want, resulting in a disparity of experience in
colourism, and awareness around skin England’s schools.
colours, textures, and other features of our
There are however some good resources from
bodies that are stigmatised despite being
Public Health England, the Be Real Campaign,
natural (birthmarks, scarring, cellulite, moles,
PSHE (Pesonal, Scoial, Health and Economic
differences in pigmentation) should be
education) Association, and National Citizen
addressed in school when discussing body
Service. We are also publishing our own
image and acceptance.
guides on improving body image and self-
The Health Education strand of the acceptance for young people, parents, and
Relationships, Sex and Health Education adults. Resources such as these should be
(RSHE) curriculum is the right place for this available in all schools in England and should
content. There is a solitary reference to body routinely be used when teaching about this
image in the existing statutory guidance, issue within the Health Education curriculum.
stating that pupils should be able to recognise12.
2. DCMS should work with the Advertising Standards Authority,
social media companies, and app stores to increase regulation of
advertisements, especially on dietary products and filters. Image-
editing apps and filters should be age-restricted.
There are financial incentives for advertising The rise of image editing apps, and their easy
beauty products, dietary products, and availability to often quite young chidlren, is
fitness products to promote unrealistic particularly troubling. Apps that are targeted
and unattainable body images. Therefore, specifically at facial alterations and body
there should be enhanced regulation to manipulation should be age restricted, either
disincentivise this practice. by the app stores themselves, or through
Government legislation.
The Advertising Standards Authority has
already carried out some good work in this The Online Harms legislation and, in particular,
area, and has most recently completed the development of a new Social Media
(though not yet reported on) a consultation Code of Practice by Ofcom in its new role
on the placement and scheduling of ads for as the independent regulator, is a significant
cosmetic surgery interventions .9
opportunity for taking action in this area.
We recommend that as part of this process
However, the young leaders felt that there
Ofcom works with social media companies
is still work to be done on discouraging the
and app stores to take positive steps to limit
use of heavily edited bodies and faces and
the mental health harms associated with the
encouraging a diversity of body images in
portrayal of idealised body images, encourage
advertising. There are isolated examples
positive diversity, and limit the availability of
of good, industry-led practice in this area,
image-editing apps.
but the wider industry needs regulating to
safeguard the public’s health and wellbeing.13. 3. The Government should review the psychological impact of its obesity campaigns and increase access to exercise, sports and healthy food options , especially in disadvantaged communtities. The young leaders felt that the Government’s The Government should carefully review current approach to reducing obesity the psychological impact of their anti- indirectly contributes to appearance-related obesity strategy and investigate new ways bullying, stigma, and feelings of shame of promoting healthy eating without the around size, and that this is not conducive to negative consequences of the current promoting healthy living and healthy weight approach. It should shift its focus from loss. They further felt that Government personal responsibility for obesity to messaging is not supported with policies to investigating ways that Government policy promote affordable healthy eating, access to and society in general can enable and support exercise and sports, and knowledge around people to achieve a healthy weight. The young living and eating well affordably. As a result, leaders suggested, for example, having fruit young people are made to feel ashamed and vegetable gardens in schools and having about themselves and their appearance but cookery lessons that demonstrate how to are not given the tools to do anything about it. prepare cheap and healthy meals. They felt that this particularly affects young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
14. 4. The Government must involve young people in decisions that directly affect them, and work with influencers relevant to them. The Government should co-design of policies The young leaders also told us that the relating to body image. There is clearly a Government should work with influencers need for young people’s voices to be heard in who are relevant to young people so that they the development of campaigns such as the can speak about the realities of body image, Government’s anti-obesity work, but they body dysmorphia, and eating disorders. They should also be closely involved in designing mentioned the youth ambassador for mental curriculum resources and - as a general health from Love Island, Dr Alex, and Marcus principle - in the development of any policy Rashford’s free school meals campaign, as that aims to benefit them. examples of positive influence. For further information, please contact Adam Nice at ANice@mentalhealth.org.uk. Policy development: Adam Nice and Lucy Thorpe with thanks to Leaders Unlocked for their involvement. Design: David Peasland.
15.
REFERENCES
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5. Since Mental Health Awareness Week 2019,
we have continued to work on the issue of body
image and mental health. In the policy space,
we have submitted written and oral evidence to
the Women and Equalities Committee inquiry,
Changing the perfect picture: an inquiry into
body image, and provided evidence to the All-
Party Parliamentary Group for Beauty, Aesthetics
and Wellbeing inquiry into non-surgical cosmetic
procedures. We have developed and published a
briefing on image-editing apps and mental health.You can also read
