Think back to a time in your childhood or to a child in your life. Remember or imagine playing outside without concern about how your body looks or how others view it. Unfortunately, you may also remember when you began to notice your body and other people’s bodies. Your body image develops over time due to many factors based on your evolving perceptions.
By: Ellen Coghlan
So, what happens that brings on that shift? What happens to cause you to go from not noticing and judging your body, to being aware, sometimes critical of your body, and ultimately developing a body image?
Studies show that body image is very complex. There are many factors involved that vary based on age, biological gender, and more. Body Image In Childhood: An Integrative Literature Review shows that at five years of age, children do not recognize their bodies or feel any particular way toward them. However, by ten years old, this is no longer the case. So, somewhere between 5 and 10 years old (although this will vary from person to person), body image develops.
Factors Affecting Body Image
Many components go into developing a body image, which is unique to each individual and is fluid throughout one’s life. However, the studies in Body Image In Childhood: An Integrative Literature Review show a few significant components influence how a person’s body image develops.
Family
Family can be a complex part of life, and it is no different regarding body image. The way family members’ view and talk about their bodies can significantly influence a child’s body image and self-esteem. Children are also affected by how adults view and talk about food. If a child feels that an adult figure in their life judges anyone’s body or eating habits (including their own), this can significantly contribute to the child’s developing body image.
Media
Children are exposed to media from a very young age. Even if bodies and body image are not explicitly discussed, the level of representation teaches ‘ideal’ body standards. One study found that boys’ ‘ideal’ body stems from male athletes, whereas girls get their influence from female actresses and singers. This highlights the importance of body diversity across media starting at a young age.
Friends
Peers in school and other social activities play a significant role in development and decision-making. Body image is influenced by those around us, especially the desire to be perceived well by friends and peers. A person’s choice of company can greatly impact the way they see themselves and their body.
Body Image Redemption
What can we do once this awareness is formed to try and maintain or build back our childlike relationship with our bodies?
Body Appreciation
The ability to stop and appreciate our bodies and all they do for us is one of the most science-backed methods of improving body image. According to the journal, Associations between Body Appreciation and Disordered Eating in a Large Sample of Adolescents, body appreciation involves:
- Being able to accept and respect the body.
- Resisting the stereotype of beauty standards as the singular standard of beauty.
- Appreciating the many ways the body functions successfully for us every day.
One exercise to develop body appreciation is writing down ten things your body enables you to do that you are grateful for. Some examples of this could include hugging a person you love, picking up your dog/cat to cuddle, taking a big stretch first thing in the morning, walking to your favorite coffee shop, and more.
Movement/Sports
According to Rasa Jankauskiene and Migle Baceviciene in their cross-sectional study of girls’ participation in sports, the addition of movement or sport decreases self-objectification due to the ability to see the value of the body’s function rather than focus on aesthetics. However, movement that is compulsive or performed for aesthetic purposes can have the opposite effect. It is essential to find movement that is enjoyable and focused on benefits such as energy, strength, or improved mood. Movement is not always appropriate in recovery, so allow time for this to return in your journey, and then explore various forms of movement that can enhance body appreciation over time with your treatment team.
Internet Use
Additionally, this study by Jankauskiene and Baceviciene also offers that media consumption is shown to directly correlate to internalizing the thin body ‘ideal’ and, ultimately, body image. Limiting time spent consuming different types of media (social media, videos, TV, etc.) and curating your media to show body diversity and non-body-related content can be a step in the right direction to improving body image. Work towards setting a time goal around media consumption or selecting who you follow to help build back that child-like appreciation.
Play & Connection
Doing things you used to love as a child, such as dancing, drawing, painting, or reading, are great ways to bring back your childlike mindset. Additionally, spending time with friends who aren’t body focused is a great way to get out of your critical-thinking mindset and find appreciation for fun activities and connections. This may seem challenging on tough body image days. Still, the article, 7 Tips for Building a Better Body Image as an Adult, explains that the more you explore what fun looks like to you and connect with others, the more the negative perception of your body image will lessen.
Understanding Body Image
Remember, body image isn’t broken down or built up overnight, but small changes in your mindset can lead to positive results. Body image is ever-changing because it is a perception rather than a constant state of being. Taking small steps and knowing that the tough days are temporary is how you can work towards improving your relationship with your body in the long run.
At BALANCE eating disorder treatment center™, our compassionate, highly skilled team of clinicians is trained to diagnose and treat the spectrum of eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, compulsive overeating, and other disordered eating behaviors and body image issues. The objective of our weekly Body Image Group includes gaining insight into the relationship with one’s body and how eating disorder behaviors and urges are often a result of how emotions manifest in one’s physical body.
This post was written by BALANCE Dietetic Intern, Ellen Coghlan (she/her).
Ellen is currently in her second year of graduate school at Hunter College pursuing a M.S in Nutrition. Ellen decided to switch careers and go back to school in hopes of working with those recovering from eating disorders after her own personal experience. She is passionate about helping empower others to live their most full, joyful lives. Outside school and work, Ellen enjoys podcasts, dinner with friends, and loud music in the kitchen.
References
- Neves, C. M., Cipriani, F. M., Meireles, J. F. F., Morgado, F. F. da R., & Ferreira, M. E. C. (2017). BODY IMAGE IN CHILDHOOD: AN INTEGRATIVE LITERATURE REVIEW. Revista Paulista de Pediatria, 35(3), 331–339. https://doi.org/10.1590/1984-0462/;2017;35;3;00002
- Baceviciene, M., & Jankauskiene, R. (2020). Associations between Body Appreciation and Disordered Eating in a Large Sample of Adolescents. https://www-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.proxy.wexler.hunter.cuny.edu/pmc/articles/PMC7146197/
- Jankauskiene, R., & Baceviciene, M. (2022). Adolescent girls’ participation in sports is associated with lower negative effects of internalization of thin body ideals on self-objectification: findings from a cross-sectional study. PubMed. https://pubmed-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.proxy.wexler.hunter.cuny.edu/35913568/
- Jankauskiene, R., & Baceviciene, M. (2022). Media Pressures, Internalization of Appearance Ideals and Disordered Eating among Adolescent Girls and Boys: Testing the Moderating Role of Body Appreciation. NIH. PubMed. https://www-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.proxy.wexler.hunter.cuny.edu/pmc/articles/PMC9182577/
- 7 Tips for Building a Better Body Image as an Adult. (2019, May 8). Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials. Retrieved October 6, 2022, from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/7-tips-for-building-a-better-body-image-as-an-adult/