Study: Young Women & Appearance Concerns

A major study in England surveyed the lifestyles of 70,000 schoolchildren ages 10 to 15, showing the extent to which girls are risking their health to emulate models and celebrities. More than half believed they needed to be slimmer, even though only 12 percent were overweight, according to their body mass index. The survey found that girls' biggest worry was their appearance—cited by half of the 12 to 15 year olds. Younger children, ages 10 and 11 also reported worrying about the way they look "quite a lot" and "a lot."

Dr. David Regis, research manager at the Schools Health Education Unit in the United Kingdom, noted that body dissatisfaction often seems to originate from, or is accentuated by, celebrity culture. Another finding was that young women are very aware of pressures from the media and could critically discuss the issue, yet they still felt the pressure to be thinner. (Source: thisislondon.co.uk)