how can we learn to love our bodies?
by Jenny Bryan
preventing body dissatisfaction
Efforts to 'immunise' vulnerable young people against the impact of media images have focused on helping adolescents to analyse and become more aware of the messages contained in such images and to relate them to their own feelings and expectations. Such efforts may work in the short term, but the longer term outcomes are far less encouraging. Long term behavioural changes have been reported in only 3 out of 15 studies.
For example, in Australia, a school-based programme tried to improve body image and self esteem amongst mainly girls aged 11-14. Initially, attitudes improved and only 2% of girls were dieting, compared to 8% of a control group who didn't take part in the programme. But, a year later, there was a reversal, with 9% of the girls in the programme trying to lose weight compared to 6% of those in the control group.
Other studies have shown that it is possible to reduce internalisation of the thin-ideal but this doesn't automatically change body dissatisfaction.
Prevention programmes for eating disorders have produced equally mixed results and some specialists are concerned that well-meaning educational schemes in schools can do more harm than good.
'Primary prevention can introduce people to beliefs and attitudes that lead to eating disorders. They can glamorise and normalise eating disorders to young girls,' explains Dr Roz Shafran, from the department of psychiatry at Oxford University. 'If you educate people you can increase their knowledge but there is no change in their dieting and weight loss behaviour,' she adds.
Despite the disappointments, some psychologists remain optimistic that, if educational programmes are targeted towards the right population of vulnerable young girls, they should be able to change body dissatisfaction and prevent the depression and eating disorders which so often accompany it. The reality is that, as yet, there is precious little evidence that this is the case. Until more effective interventions can be developed, all the specialists can do is try to pick up the pieces after those who go on to develop anorexia or bulimia recognise that they have a problem and can be persuaded to do something about it.
