From locker rooms to social media feeds, body image is a topic many students quietly struggle with, shaping their confidence, mental health, and daily interactions with peers and family members. Some of these problems are caused by unrealistic standards teenagers see online or even in person. A cross-sectional study was done among 1200 college girls in Coimbatore. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data on various factors associated with body image dissatisfaction. According to NIH (National Library of Medicine),“Body image dissatisfaction was present in 77.6% of the adolescent girls surveyed. It was found that factors such as higher BMI, sociocultural pressure to be thin and depression were all significantly associated with body image dissatisfaction.”
Parents have an impact on their child’s development like affecting their emotional regulation, mental health, social skills, and academic success, but more importantly how they look. According to National Alliance for Eating Disorders , “Negative comments about weight or appearance can lead to the development of restrictive eating patterns.” Experts also say that “Parents can promote healthier body image by modeling positive behaviors, body acceptance, and balanced eating habits.”
Isabel LeBaron, a junior at Riverton High School, shares her experience with her mom affecting her body image. “My mom is a heavy influence on my body image. She would comment on my weight and constantly told me to suck in my stomach during the picture, so I didn’t look like I was ‘pregnant.’ I got so insecure about my body that I started picking at my skin.” LeBaron has been finding ways to feel more confident in herself by finding more positive things LeBaron likes about herself. She mentioned how well her immune system works and how all of her joints work so well.
Researchers from Valera Health share that there is a link between upbeat mental health and your overall well being. Showing that positive self-talk is associated with greater resilience, improved performance, and better overall mental health. It’s not just about “thinking happy thoughts.” It’s about creating neural patterns that support wellbeing.
Making it a daily practice can impact how you feel about yourself and your current wellbeing. Positive self-talk doesn’t just improve our individual mental health. It transforms our relationships, enhances our work, and contributes to our overall self-care.
Following that, Malory Dondebier, a freshman at Jordan High School, also expresses that her family has impacted her body image in many ways as well. “My parents have affected my body image in multiple different ways. When I was younger, I was severely underweight, so they told me I needed to fatten up, so to speak, and we would celebrate every time I gained weight. When I got older, I became overweight and my mom would tell me I needed to go to the gym and eat less junk.”
Dodnebier has since been growing and finding her confidence in herself; she isn’t afraid to look in the mirror anymore as well as feeling comfortable in her own skin. “I see influencers with the same body type as me and they are super confident and cool. So I look up to them and it makes me more confident. I love the fact that I’m not scared to look in the mirror. I’m more proud of the way I look than I have ever been.”
But junior Brinley Preslar shares a different experience she has had with her parents regarding her body image. “ My parents have always been very supportive of body image, thankfully. They’ve always told me I look beautiful or that I’m perfect the way I am.” But it doesn’t mean Preslar hasn’t struggled with her body image, she also mentioned that she is a dancer and she’s in front of mirrors all the time and wearing tight clothing. It really affects her body image, “When I did ballet I had a really hard time with body image because I had always been bigger than all the other girls in my classes, which was hard on me mentally.”
Body image has a much bigger impact due to the media being more involved in teenagers’ lives; the media has made these standards unattainable for some teenagers which can cause the mind games of body image.
More research has been conducted to learn more about this issue with teenagers, and why body image plays a big role in their lives. Experts from Mental Health Foundation said, “Higher body dissatisfaction is associated with a poorer quality of life, psychological distress and the risk of unhealthy eating behaviours and eating disorders.” Experts also say that “Just over one in five adults (22%) and 40% of teenagers said images on social media caused them to worry about their body image.”
Mental Health Foundation also shared that a survey was conducted to gain more knowledge about this issue. The survey shared new results. Results showed that 37% of teenagers felt upset and 31% felt ashamed about their body image. Another report highlights that body image concerns can be influenced by family and peer relationships. As well as media and social media exposure.
Some teens have found a way to use the media in a positive way to make them feel good about themselves. Preslar shares that she has found people who make her feel good about herself, “I think social media has really helped me with my body image. I follow people who explain that it’s perfectly normal and healthy to not have that ‘perfect’ flat stomach. It’s given me a lot more confidence and ways to accept my body.”
Dodnebier also shares that she has grown confidence from girls on social media looking like her, “I believe that social media has helped my body image. I’m not fat, but I’m not skinny. And I see influencers with the same body type as me, and they are super confident and cool. So I look up to them, and it makes me more confident.”
Even with this issue going on among teenagers, all of these teens have found ways to gain the confidence to be themselves. Even though it is a difficult thing to manage especially with other things to worry about, always think positively. Preslar shares her piece of advice, “Once you are able to become comfortable in your body, you will be so much happier.”
Being comfortable in your own skin is so important. LeBaron also shares a piece of advice that has helped her so much: “Try to love yourself the way you are. You’re worth it.”
