What does it mean to have a negative body image?
This means not liking your body, your weight or specific body parts. It may also include disliking your hair, skin colour, or facial features. It is very common for women and girls in Canada to have some degree of body image dissatisfaction. Some of the things that may negatively affect a child’s body image are: • influence of media and popular culture; • experiences of physical or sexual abuse; • a parent who is preoccupied with their weight and dieting; • being teased, bullied or harassed based on size, gender, skin colour or physical abilities; • physical changes in the body at different stages of life such as puberty and pregnancy; and • participation in activities where extreme thinness is promoted, such as dance, gymnastics and modeling.
