Smart Start - Lesson 10



	About 25 percent of a teen's daily calorie intake comes from snacks!

WE ARE ALL UNIQUE

Body image, involving individual perceptions about one's own body, is a touchy subject. This is especially true when you consider how media and society impact your, and your peers', view of how you think you should look and what's considered "right" or "attractive." Add to that the change going on inside and outside your body at this time of your life, and the pressure to look good can feel overwhelming.

Here's Health Trek's reality check of the day: There is no one ideal body weight, shape or size -- we are all unique. We come in different shapes and sizes, and that doesn't mean if we're not model perfect we're unhealthily fat, out of shape or physically challenged. Stars and models are NOT the norm, and a lot of what you see -- all those fast, flashy images we are constantly exposed to -- is being manipulated in one manner or another: good lighting, slimming camera angles or lenses, airbrushed photos, etc. It's time to start loving who you are, not what you may never become. Get real -- a real body image, that is -- and don't be fooled!

The National Eating Disorders Association estimates that 81 percent of 10-year-olds are afraid of being fat. Furthermore, between 5 to 10 million girls and women and 1 million boys and men are struggling with eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder or borderline conditions (that is, not quite bulimic and not quite anorexic, but showing signs of these behaviors).

WHAT IS 'BODY IMAGE'?

Where do we get our ideas about appearance and self-image? What are some of the factors that influence our body image (media, culture, friends, parents, a little voice in the mirror, etc.)? Take Health Trek's Body Image Survey, then read the Points to Ponder and think about how they relate to your answers.

1. Most people could look like models in magazines.
    Agree    Disagree    Don't Know
Points to Ponder:
The majority of models in magazines are airbrushed to get rid of "imperfections" and to look more appealing. The current media ideal of thinness for women is achievable by less than 5 percent of the female population.

2. All thin people are healthy and in good shape.
    Agree    Disagree    Don't Know
Points to Ponder:
For some reason, we tend to think of the word "healthy" as meaning being thin in this context. Think about what "healthy" means to you; is thin an important part? A lot of factors contribute to our all-around fitness and good health.

3. All overweight people eat too much food and do not exercise.
    Agree    Disagree    Don't Know
Points to Ponder:
We are all born with a predetermined body shape. Society seems to be accepting of variances in height, so why don't we accept variances in weight? Many factors influence our body types, most importantly genetics.

4. There is not one body size, shape or weight that people should attempt to achieve -- we all have our own unique bodies.
    Agree    Disagree    Don't Know
Points to Ponder:
Not to harp again, but we are all born with a predetermined body shape. Only 10 percent of the population has the body type to look like models in magazines.

In order to maintain a healthy weight, it is important to get plenty of exercise (at least 30 minutes per day) and eat a variety of foods (including at least 5 servings of vegetables and fruits per day).

Youth today, especially girls, are bombarded by conflicting advertising messages. On one hand, they are targeted to buy junk/fast food in magazines and on TV, and on the other, the same ads use pencil-thin models to sell their products. This is becoming a potential danger for many young women.

Girls aren't the only ones affected by this. Advertisers are sending the message that to be a "real man" guys must have huge muscles, a "six-pack" abdomen and very little body fat -- a difficult look to achieve for many men and boys. Problems surface when excessive exercise and other extreme measures are used, such as steroids.

Recent experiments have shown that exposure to magazine photographs of super-thin models produces depression, stress, guilt, shame, insecurity, body dissatisfaction and increased endorsement of the thin-ideal stereotype. Magazines like Vogue and Elle are banned in many eating-disorder clinics, because of their known negative effect on body image.

THE TEEN 'ZINE ILLUSION MACHINE

OK, it's time to have some fun and turn the tables on the magazines that sell these highly unrealistic body images.

Ad Mad
Grab a couple of your favorite magazines and thumb through them. Then ask yourself the following questions relating to particular ads:

What is this ad trying to get me to buy?
How is the ad gaining my attention?
What do the models in this ad look like?
What do I really think of this ad?
How does this ad make me feel?

Were you offended, angered, bored or indifferent to the ads? How realistic did you find the models featured? Were there any realistic depictions of body shape? If so, what type of products were these for?


Now it's time to send a card or two to the magazine(s) commenting on the images used in the ads that have a negative impact on you and your peers. Use a subscription reply card stuck in the magazine (let them pay for postage!) or make a postcard (be sure to use a heavy stock paper to make sure it reaches your target). Find out the editor's name in the magazine (usually in the front) so you can direct your comments directly to him/her. Include the following info: What issue the ad is coming from (for example, February 2004). What page the ad is on. What product the ad is trying to sell. What you think about the ad. Tell it as you see it!

YOU ARE THE REAL DEAL

Having a realistic body image is about increasing your media literacy -- understanding that many companies often sell dreams and false expectations rather than reality. You are what you are, you're unique and know what? That's the way it should be. Don't let anyone else tell you, or sell you, otherwise. That's having a real body image, an image you can live with.

First Lesson