Teenage Girls and Body Image: A Lesson For All of Us

According to a new study published in the March issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior (2010), teenage girls tend to compare their bodies more to their peers (who appear to be more similar to themselves) than they do to celebrities in the media (who appear to be in a 'different league'). An article published recently by Nancy Tracy on this very subject points to the Social Comparison Theory, a psychological theory which holds that more often than not people tend to compare themselves more to people who are similar to themselves than to those who seem to be inferior or superior. So- for example, rather than comparing your cooking skills to someone who is featured on the Food Network, maybe you compare your cooking skills to those of your neighbor, sister, friend, cousin, etc. And the analogy follows with anything- your looks, your athletic ability, your body, etc. Anyways, what they found was that in schools where the average BMI (body mass index) was higher, girls felt less pressure to diet and be thin, whereas in schools where the average BMI was lower, girls felt increased pressure to be thinner.


I think that the results of this study are powerful in that they affirm what we might already know and experience about what happens when we make comparisons about ourselves to others- which is that often, we feel that we need to be something other than what we are. We feel like we don't measure up to those around us, or that we are just not as good as so-and-so. Teenage girls might compare themselves to their peers more than they do to celebrities, but who knows what the statistics look like for adults (who probably compare themselves equally to their peers and celebrities). I think the media still shapes and influences our standards of beauty in a way that we may never fully comprehend, but I think the act of comparing ourselves to others is an important thing to step back and evaluate.


Someone very wise once told me that "comparison is the thief of all joy" and that has stuck with me ever since-- it is so true! That phrase often comes to mind because we are conditioned to look around us to see where we fit in the pecking order, and usually the act of comparing ourselves to others leads to feelings of inferiority, insecurity, anxiety, frustration, discontentment, and so on. Whenever we compare ourselves to others, we don't usually feel better about ourselves- we feel worse! And on the rare occasion that we do feel better, the sense of confidence we gain from that is false and empty. One quote (by Max Ehrmann) that I love which speaks to this: “If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.” We all at times are so busy worrying about how we measure up that we lose out on being ourselves, and we aren't able to enjoy who God made us to be. Another one of my favorite quotes is by Judy Garland- she said, "Be a first-rate version of yourself, rather than a second-rate version of someone else." I think she had it right! We are the only ones who can be the best at being us- so let's focus on that!! We all have strengths, talents and interests that make us unique and when we aren't able to see those for what they are, we miss out! The next time you find yourself comparing yourself to someone else, stop and consider your God-given strengths, abilities and beauty. The idea is not to become vain or to become self-absorbed; however, it is important that we strive to see ourselves for who we are, rather than viewing ourselves through a filter that is designed to categorize and classify our worth based on another.






*On a side note, one other thing worth pointing out from Tracy's article is the following: "Perhaps one exception to the rule of teenage girls comparing themselves to their peers is teenage girls with low self-esteem, a subgroup that often develops eating disorders. These teenage girls tend to compare themselves upward instead of to their peers, a possible subconscious attempt to preserve their negative self-image by comparing themselves to a less attainable ideal." Just an interesting sub-point that I will come back to in another post that highlights the perfectionistic nature that tends to pervade those who suffer from eating disorders. And just for the record, how many teenagers out there don't suffer from negative self-image? That is a post for another day... To read Tracy's article in full, follow this link.

App-orexia??

Apple has secured a pretty dominant place in pop culture (and the world of technology!) and continues to do so with every increasing product that they put out--it's hard to imagine life without the iPod:). Just yesterday, the iPad came out and people woke up in the middle of the night to go wait in line to purchase one. There are many perks of having an iPad (or an iTouch, or an iPhone, etc)- one of them is that you can download applications, or 'apps' as they are commonly referred to. There are over 3 billion (!!), and they serve a variety of purposes (entertainment, news, health, finance, etc).

Something that I have noticed lately is the increased attention being given to apps that are designed to assist people in their dieting endeavors... by tracking their daily intake of food and calories. I read a really good article recently (which you can read here) that challenges the notion that these apps cause eating disorders. A lot of articles have come out saying that these apps cause eating disorders, but many people use these apps to count their daily caloric intake and never develop an eating disorder (although this does not elevate my opinion of them- more on that in a minute). Eating disorders are not usually 'caused' by one thing (for more on this and other eating disorder myths, follow this link). People with a genetic predisposition to developing an eating disorder may be triggered by using a calorie counting app, but the app is not usually the culprit. One phrase that I have heard often (as related to causes of eating disorders) is that 'genes load the gun, and environment pulls the trigger.'

While these apps may not cause eating disorders, I think that they can foster an unhealthy dependence, as well as an unhealthy attitude towards food and calories. It is important to be able to fuel our bodies and get what we need nutritionally, and it is good to be knowledgeable about healthy portion sizes! But if we cling too tightly to numbers, whether it is how many calories we are eating, or the number that is on the scale, I think that we run the risk of being occupied with the wrong things. Health is important. And our health does not just consist of our physical health- it consists of our emotional health, our mental health, and our spiritual health as well. I think that each component of our health is extremely important and without one piece, we cannot function at an optimal level. Rather than getting hung up on numbers, it might be to our benefit to focus on our overall health- how we feel, how quickly we can recover when we are active, building character, finding lasting significance, identity and purpose through faith, and working to maintain stability and positive coping skills through the ups and downs of life!

20 Ways to Love Your Body

I have been preparing for a presentation on eating disorders that I will be giving tomorrow at a local high school, so I have been scouring the NEDA website looking for cool ideas, stats and other things to make my presentation non-boring to high school students (who are probably going to think I'm old and boring anyways- JK!!). Anyways, while I was scanning some of NEDA's resources online, I came across a list of '20 Ways to Love Your Body' compiled by Margo Maine, PhD that I thought some of you might enjoy reading! I am just going to copy and paste it below (with my additions in italics:)), or, you can also follow this link and check it out on NEDA's site.

20 Ways to Love Your Body by Margo Maine

1. Think of your body as the vehicle to your dreams. Honor it. Respect it. Fuel it.

2. Create a list of all the things your body lets you do. Read it and add to it often.

3. Become aware of what your body can do each day. Remember it is the instrument of your life, not just an ornament.

4. Create a list of people you admire: people who have contributed to your life, your community, or the world. Consider whether their appearance was important to their success and accomplishments.

5. Walk with your head held high, supported by confidence in yourself as a person [who is made by God and created beautifully!].

6. Don't let your weight or shape keep you from activities that you enjoy.

7. Wear comfortable clothes that you like, that express your personal style, and that feel good to your body.

8. Count your blessings, not your blemishes.

9. Think about all the things you could accomplish with the time and energy you currently spend worrying about your body and appearance. Try one!

10. Be your body's friend and supporter, not its enemy.

11. Consider this: your skin replaces itself once a month, your stomach lining every five days, your liver ever six weeks, and your skeleton every three months. Your body is extraordinary--begin to respect and appreciate it.

12. Every morning when you wake up, thank your body for resting and rejuvenating itself so you can enjoy the day.

13. Every evening when you go to bed, tell your body how much you appreciate what it has allowed you to do throughout the day.

14. Find a method of exercise that you enjoy and do it regularly. Don't exercise to lose weight (or punish yourself because of what you have eaten) or to fight your body. Do it to make your body healthy and strong and because it makes you feel good. Exercise for the three F's: fun, fitness, and friendship.

15. Think back to a time when you felt good about your body. Tell yourself you can feel like that again, even in this body at this age.

16. Keep a list of 10 positive things about yourself (and look at it!)--without mentioning your appearance. Add to it!

17. Put a sign on each of your mirrors saying, "I'm beautiful inside and out."

18. Choose to find the beauty in the world and in yourself (because it is all around).

19. Start saying to yourself, "Life is too short to waste my time hating my body this way."

20. Eat when you are hungry. Rest when you are tired. Surround yourself with people that remind you of your inner strength and beauty.

Some of these may resonate with you more than others- I really appreciated number 4 and number 8. Gratitude is SO important; being thankful and having perspective can go a long way. Hopefully this list provides you with a few things to think about and some helpful pointers to start appreciating and loving your body! :)

Life Lessons by Goldilocks

It's a little funny that fairy tales and stories that were read to me as a little girl have been coming to mind lately. I'm not exactly sure what that means (haha), but what I would guess is that these stories come to mind because they actually have some good morals and principles rooted in them (that are not just meant for child-sized ears and lives) and are also relevant to daily happenings.

Today, through a couple of conversations that I had, I was thinking about and reminded of the extremes that we see in our culture when it comes to almost every single arena. Whether it's food, our bodies, and weight, or money, work, love, sex, success, sports, entertainment, etc.. extremes are everywhere. Whether it is an extreme diet, an extreme sport, an extreme behavior (like plastic surgery- Heidi Montag, anyone?), it seems that our culture is not only fixated on extremes but celebrates them. People are applauded and ridiculed based on their ability to conform to extremes. The media gives so much attention to extremes- whether these extremes are weight related or not. We are simultaneously fighting obesity as a nation, as well as a culture that fuels myths about eating disorders as a lifestyle choice. We are constantly made aware of great successes and great failures (which are defined and polarized by the media) and yet we don't necessarily have many positive role models that showcase what it's like to operate in a medium of balance- where both successes and failures are part of life, and where a gray area reigns, instead of the black and white. It seems to me that in a culture of extremes, one of the toughest things to achieve is balance. Outside of appearance and weight, some common questions that deal with balance include the following-- How much time do I spend working, and how much time do I spend playing? How much time should I spend with my family? How much time do I need to invest in cultivating my marriage/relationship? How much exercise is appropriate? How much time do I invest in my spiritual life? The questions can be endless and there is no sure answer for each individual. What I am sure of though is that we probably have a thing or two to learn from Goldilocks (strangely enough).

Goldilocks, for those of you who may need refreshing, broke into a cottage that belonged to three bears (probably not the part to emulate). She ate their porridge, sat in their chairs, and eventually fell asleep in one of their beds. The bears ended up returning home to find her asleep in one of their beds, and she ran out of the house, never to be seen again. Goldilocks is famous (to me, anyways) for the way in which she was a little picky, a little particular. When she tasted the bear's porridge, one bowl was too hot, and one bowl was too cold. But one was just right. The chairs and the beds were the same way-- not hot or cold, but too big, or too small, or too uncomfortable, etc. I guess the reason that she came to my mind today was because I think she is a good example of someone who was mindful of her surroundings and was able to make a decision based on what she felt was right in the moment. She may have been a little picky, but she noticed extremes and decided to operate in the gray area. While all of her options were benign and obviously not comparable to the kinds of things that I mentioned above regarding extremes, I think she is a good example of someone who is being mindful and balanced in her choices. I realize this is a bit of a stretch and may sound simplistic (it is), but I think being able to achieve balance is something that we really struggle with as a culture and as individuals.

This Goldilocks analogy does not apply to eating disorders (remember, EDs are a mental illness), but the analogy applies to the way that we view ourselves, perceptions of beauty, and life in general. So how do we work towards operating in the gray area so that we can live a life of balance? Being mindful, creating and maintaining boundaries, taking care of ourselves just as we take care of others, surrounding ourselves with kind and loving people, living out our values daily, and refuting and challenging irrational and negative thoughts/beliefs. Surely this list is not exhaustive. But I think by aiming to operate in this gray area and by finding a middle ground-- a balance, like Goldilocks did:)-- we might find that we are more content, that we feel better about ourselves, and that we become more accepting of ourselves and others. These are some of the things that give us character and ultimately make us beautiful.

To read about another children's story (the Velveteen Rabbit) and being real, follow this link.

A few days ago, I read this article on the Huffington Post by Kimberly Dennis, MD, entitled Eating Disorders: Be the First Line of Defense. I wanted to re-post it here because it includes a lot of educational and statistical information that serves to re-iterate what eating disorders are. It also helps to dispel myths about eating disorders. It seems to me that the goal of this article is to provide a little bit of education to readers to help us become more aware, and possibly apprehend when a friend, loved one, or acquaintance may be exhibiting concerning behaviors related to food. This article is certainly not exhaustive, but I think it provides some basic info that everyone should know! I have copied and pasted the article below.

Eating Disorders: Be The First Line Of Defense

While the majority of us may not work in the emergency room, or even work in the healthcare industry, we can still save lives.

In the United States, as many as 10 million women and one million men are fighting a life-and-death battle with anorexia or bulimia, according to the National Eating Disorders Association. More often than not, dentists can provide the gateway to critical medical treatment for these individuals.

By becoming aware of certain signs and symptoms, you can uncover illness that may otherwise go unnoticed - and untreated. With the right knowledge, you can save a life.

A deadly disease spreads - faster

Eating disorders are potentially deadly, biologically-based psychiatric illnesses. Anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness, nearly 12 times greater than any other cause of death among women between the ages of 15 and 24.

What's more, eating disorders among young women are increasing at an alarming rate. Nationally, the incidence of bulimia in women ages 10 to 39 tripled between 1988 and 1993, and continues to grow.

Anorexia typically begins at the start of puberty and is more common among adolescent girls and young adult women. It affects one to two percent of the female population, and 0.1 to 0.2 percent of men. Because more than 90 percent of all those who are affected are adolescents and young women, the disorder has been characterized as primarily a young woman's illness. But it should also be noted that males and children as young as seven years old have been diagnosed with this illness, as well as middle-aged and elderly women.

Patients are diagnosed with anorexia when their body weight falls to 85 percent or less of their normal, healthy weight. Typically, these patients have an obsessive preoccupation with body weight and calories, as well as an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat. Their body image is grossly distorted, resulting in an unwarranted psychological impact on how they see and value themselves.

There are two types of anorexia nervosa: the restrictive eating type and the binge-eating/purging type. Binge eaters rapidly consume a large amount of high-calorie food in a very short time - perhaps 1,500 to 3,000 calories or more. Those who purge may do so with self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas. Approximately 70 to 80 percent of people with bulimia purge by means of self-induced vomiting, while 30 percent use laxatives. Some who purge, however, do so without actually binge-eating first.

Recognizing the danger signs

The physical complications associated with anorexia are potentially life-threatening, since dehydration and malnutrition can damage vital organs. This can result in:

- low blood pressure

- electrolyte imbalance

- cardiac arrhythmias

- thyroid gland deficiencies, which can lead to cold intolerance and constipation

- appearance of fine, baby-like body hair

- bloating or edema

- decrease in white blood cells, leading to increased susceptibility to infection

- osteoporosis

- seizures related to fluid shifts due to excessive diarrhea or vomiting

- kidney damage or failure from chronic use of diuretics

Signs of an eating disorder are:

• Exhibits concern about her weight and attempts to control weight by diet, refusal of food, vomiting or laxative abuse.

• Prolonged exercising despite fatigue and weakness.

• Peculiar patterns regarding handling food.

• Exhibits abnormally fast weight loss, without any other known medical condition.

• Experiences depressive moods and self-deprecating behavior.

If you recognize these signs, fight the urge to remain silent. Remember, denial is a big part of eating disorders - another reason they can become fatal and a major obstacle to recovery. Act in a caring and non-judgmental way, simply stating what you see, and asking how you can help.

Also, you can go to the Web site of the National Eating Disorders Association (www.myneda.org) or call Timberline Knolls at 877-257-9611, and we would be happy to help find a professional in your area. That referral just might save a life.

Kimberly Dennis, M.D., is the medical director at Timberline Knolls (www.timberlineknolls.com). Located in Lemont, Ill., this innovative residential treatment center is designed exclusively for women with emotional disorders, including eating disorders, addiction and self-injury behavior. Dr. Dennis is a member of the American Medical Association, the Academy of Eating Disorders, the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry and the American Society of Addiction Medicine.