Body Image - a HUGE problem

Hope you guys are ready for the ZUMBATHON for Sport Relief next Sunday 2-4m at Upham Village Hall. Hoping lots of you can make it so we can raise as much money as possible for this fantastic cause.

I have been reading, speaking and hearing a lot about body image over the last few weeks and have decided to dedicate the next few blogs to this important topic. I have been kindly lent the book 'Bodies' by Susie Orbach (author of Fat is a Feminist Issue) and although I have only just started this book it is utterly fascinating and recommend it if this is a topic that interests and motivates you.

Body Image - do we really understand or even acknowledge what it is? I doubt that or even if we do acknowledge that most of us are hung up in it we certainly don't see it as the big deal it can turn into. Just take a look at these statistics.

90% of people agree that they care too much about what they look like and not enough about how healthy they are. (Com Res)

The number of people undergoing liposuction increased by a whopping 90% between 2004 and 2006. (British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons)

Steroid abuse can lead to high blood pressure, liver tumours, shrinking of the testicles and extreme irritability. (REP's)

The UK is the largest spender on cosmetic surgery procedures in Europe - with consumers spending half a billion pounds in 2006. (Data monitor)

90% of you agree that the media would use models with a broader range of dress sizes. (Com Res)

88% of you agree that children are under pressure about their physical appearance than they were 20 years ago. (Com Res)

65% of you have witnessed or experienced bullying as a child directly because of their body shape. (Com Res)

From the age of 10 or 11 the most prevalent concern for young girls is 'becoming thinner'. (Girl Guiding UK)

Among 16-21 year olds, one in two would consider surgery to change their appearance. (Girl Guiding UK)

Of those who would consider some sort of procedure, 12% would consider having invasive surgery such as gastric band or cosmetic surgery while 5% would consider Botox.

42% of women are self conscious about how they look. (Research commissioned by the Real Women campaign from Dove)

81% of people agree that pupils in secondary schools should be given an opportunity to discuss body image issues.

77% of people agree that photographs that have been airbrushed should carry a warning saying they have been digitally altered. (Com Res)

Body image and how we feel about our physical bodily shape is NOT a trivial matter. It can take over your life so that you become obsessed with it. Now I could go on and on about this and because of this I will be writing several blogs on this topic as I am deeply passionate about it, we should love ourselves as we are, wanting to better yourself is a good thing but NOT if it takes over your life and everything else in your life goes on hold because of it.

Going from a size 16 to a size 12 is not going to make your life perfect. It is not going to correct everything else that you are not happy with in your life, no matter how many times you tell yourself it will.

You should want to be a healthy weight and fit because that is a healthy place to be. You should want it because you will feel better, your skin, hair and eyes will be brighter, you will have more energy, you will feel better about yourself, you will exude confidence - oh and yes, you might be in better shape, look slimmer and weight less, that is an additional bonus for free!