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YourHealthTodayChapter8.pptx8: Body Image
Your Health Today, 6th edition
©McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. Authorized only for instructor use in the classroom. No reproduction or further distribution permitted without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.
What Shapes Body Image?
Body image is the mental representation that a person has of his or her own body, including perceptions, attitudes, thoughts, and emotions
Culture has a strong influence on body image
The advertising industry and the media are relentless in selling the American consumer an image of the ideal body
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Effects of Puberty
In puberty, the hormonal changes to body shape and composition occur alongside identity formation and processing of body-related messages
For healthy girls, body fat increases from about 12% to about 25%, moving them away from society’s ideal
For boys, increasing muscle mass moves them toward society’s ideal
Timing—whether a person goes through puberty alongside peers or not—has a powerful effect
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Women and Body Image
Society still holds up the value of beauty for women
From infancy, girls are described as “delicate,” “soft,” and “pretty,” and females are encouraged to define themselves in terms of their bodies
Female bodies are portrayed as objects of desire
Media place heavy emphasis on women’s physical attributes rather than their abilities, performance, or accomplishments
Since the 1950s, the ideal female body in the U.S. has been getting thinner
Women experience high levels of dissatisfaction with their bodies
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Women and Body Image (2)
Belief in the thin ideal and body dissatisfaction can lead to dieting
This combination increases the risk for disordered eating behaviors
Calorie restriction: a reduction in calorie intake below daily needs
Purging: using self-induced vomiting, laxatives, or diuretics to get rid of excess calories that have been consumed
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Men and Body Image
Men are not immune to body image concerns
Action and achievement have traditionally been more important than appearance, but this is changing
Ideal male body shape has become more unrealistic, distorted, and extreme, with trimmer waists and bulkier biceps than in the past
Muscle dysmorphia: disorder in which one’s muscles are perceived as too small regardless of their size
About 10% of eating disorders are diagnosed in men
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Ethnicity and Body Image
Body satisfaction is also affected by one’s ethnicity or cultural group
African American men and women fairly consistently report less body image dissatisfaction
Studies about White, Asian American, and Hispanic women are inconsistent
When non-White males engage in disordered patterns, they may engage in more extreme weight loss strategies and binge eating than do White males
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Physical Activity and Body Image
Sports may provide protection by promoting performance rather than appearance
High-level athletes often succeed because of their high expectations of themselves
They often learn to disregard signals from their bodies, including pain, during training
Risk for eating disorders may be greatest for athletes competing at elite levels, such as college teams
Pleasurable, nonstress physical activity supports development of body satisfaction
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Disordered Eating and Eating Disorders
Disordered eating behaviors are common and widespread
Restrictive dieting, skipping meals, binge eating and purging, laxative abuse, etc.
May occur in response to emotional stress, an upcoming athletic event, concern about personal appearance, etc.
Disordered eating behaviors may or may not develop into a full-blown eating disorder
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Disordered Eating and Eating Disorders (2)
Eating disorders are chronic illnesses characterized by severely disturbed eating behaviors, distorted body image, and low self-esteem
Jeopardize physical and mental health
Occur primarily among people in Western industrialized countries
Occur in all ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic groups
More prevalent when food is abundant and has taken on symbolic meanings such as comfort, love, belonging, fun, and control; and where being attractive means being thin
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Contributing Factors
Risk for eating disorders involves more than exposure to the thin ideal and social pressures to be thin
Gender is a risk factor, with being female increasing risk
Gay and bisexual men may be at greater risk than heterosexual males
Family history of eating disorders, depression, substance abuse, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or obesity increases risk
There are links to depression and anxiety, although the relationship appears complicated
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Contributing Factors (2)
Certain characteristics or thought patterns are associated with eating disorders
Low self-esteem
Self-critical attitude
Belief in the importance of thinness
Black-and-white thinking
Feelings of emptiness
Need for power and control
Difficulty expressing feelings
Lack of coping skills
Lack of trust in self or others
Perfectionism
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Risk and Resiliency Factors (Figure 8.1)
Risk factors contribute to eating disorders
High stress
Lack of social support
Trauma
Weight or image pressures
Negative thought patterns—low self-esteem, perfectionism, black-and-white thinking
Resiliency factors contribute to a healthy body image and healthy eating patterns
Strong coping and management skills
Supportive social connections and relationships
Focus on abilities, performance, and accomplishments instead of appearance
Realistic media images
Positive thought patterns; flexible, high self-efficacy
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Diagnosing Eating Disorders
Anorexia nervosa: distortion of body image and refusal to maintain a minimally normal body weight
Restriction of energy intake relative to requirements
Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat even though underweight, or interfering with weight gain
Disturbance in the way body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body weight on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of low body weight
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Diagnosing Eating Disorders (2)
Bulimia nervosa: distortion of body image and repeated episodes of binge eating, usually followed by purging
Recurrent episodes of binge eating accompanied by a sense of lack of control
Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behavior, such as self-induced vomiting, misuse of medications, fasting, or excessive exercise
Episodes occurring at least once a week for three months
Self-evaluation unduly influenced by body shape and weight
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Diagnosing Eating Disorders (3)
Binge-eating disorder: being-eating behavior without the vomiting or purging of bulimia
Individuals afflicted can be normal weight or overweight, but if undiagnosed, they often eventually become obese
Recurrent episodes of rapid binge eating alone, when not hungry and until uncomfortably full; and feeling disgusted, depressed, or guilty about overeating
Marked distress about binge eating
Episodes at least once a week for three months
Binge eating not associated with inappropriate compensatory behaviors
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Health Consequences of Eating Disorders
Anorexia carries the highest death rate of all psychiatric diagnoses
Some complications may not be reversible
Decreased bone calcium (osteoporosis) is one of the most serious long-term effects
Bulimia is associated with electrolyte imbalance and can be deadly due to low potassium
Consequences of binge-eating disorder are related primarily to obesity
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Treating Disordered Eating and Eating Disorders
Aside from osteoporosis, most of the negative health conditions associated with anorexia and bulimia are reversible
Keys to recovery are:
Early intervention
Lower incidence of purging behavior
Support and participation of family members and loved ones
Lack of other diagnosed psychological problems
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Treating Disordered Eating and Eating Disorders (2)
First step is to recognize the problem
Effective treatment often involves a multidisciplinary or multimodality team
Severe weight loss or another medical abnormality may require hospitalization
Once weight is stabilized:
Psychotherapy
Behavior relearning and modification
Nutritional rehabilitation and education
In some cases, medication
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Body dysmorphic disorder: preoccupation with an imagined or exaggerated defect in appearance
Perceived flaw not observable or appears slight to others
Repetitive behaviors or mental acts in response to appearance concerns
Preoccupation causes significant distress or impairment and is not accounted for by another mental disorder
Preoccupation in men tends to be about genitals, muscle mass, and hair
Preoccupation in women tends to be about breasts, thighs, and legs
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (2)
Muscle dysmorphia: subcategory that appears predominantly in men obsessed with working out
May be related to obsessive-compulsive disorder
Some people turn to cosmetic surgery to correct the supposed flaw in their appearance
Not everyone who uses cosmetic surgery has this disorder
Cosmetic surgery can also have psychological and physical benefits
Some people use body art to express themselves
Among people with tattoos, about one in five is dissatisfied
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Exercise Disorders
Exercise disorders, on the rise, may exist in conjunction with eating disorders or by themselves
Excessive exercise is often not supported by calorie intake
Treatment is similar to that for eating disorders, with a focus on increasing caloric intake or decreasing activity level until a balance is reached
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Exercise Disorders (2)
Female athlete triad: interrelated conditions of disordered eating, amenorrhea (cessation of menstruation), and osteoporosis
Excessive exercise to lose weight or attain a lean body appearance to fit a specific athletic image or improve performance
Female athletes need to understand the importance of good eating habits and moderation in exercise
Male athletes are susceptible to a similar condition
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Promoting Healthy Eating and a Healthy Body Image
Individual attitudes and actions:
Value yourself based on your goals, talents, and strengths rather than your body shape or weight
Look critically at the images and messages you receive from people and the media
Develop healthy stress-management skills
Avoid judging yourself or others
Challenge others to speak positively about their bodies
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Promoting Healthy Eating and a Healthy Body Image (2)
College initiatives:
Prevention efforts should include both individual measures and campus-wide activities
Residence advisors, professors, coaches, trainers, and other college staff can be trained to watch for problems
Health and counseling services can be visible and accessible
©McGraw-Hill Education.
Promoting Healthy Eating and a Healthy Body Image (3)
Public health approaches:
Focus on raising awareness about eating disorders and changing widely accepted social norms
Develop organizations and programs to promote healthy body image and lifestyle patterns
©McGraw-Hill Education.
In Review
What is body image, and how is it determined?
What is disordered eating, and what are eating disorders?
What do people develop eating disorders?
How are eating disorders treated?
What is body dysmorphic disorder?
What are exercise disorders?
What are individual and public ways to promote healthy eating and healthy body images?
©McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. Authorized only for instructor use in the classroom. No reproduction or further distribution permitted without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.
