Letter to editor: Body image

Body Image – 13.08.2021

Dear Editor,

For a lot of children and young people, body image is a great concern. Going through physical body changes and developments is challenging enough, yet with outside influences such as social media, young people can feel even more pressure to look a certain way to fit in.

Every summer, we are confronted by advertisements asking if we are ‘beach body ready’. Here at Childline, we have seen just how much these advertisements, messages and perceptions can affect the way in which young people view themselves.

Since April 2020, Childline has delivered almost 5,000 counselling sessions UK-wide to children and young people about eating and body disorders, including 163 sessions to children across Wales, and 2,430 of those sessions were delivered to 12 – 15 year olds – a 13% increase on the previous year.

The pandemic has made the past year even more difficult for young people in Wales who already struggle with body image or live with an eating disorder. We have heard from young people who said they were eating more during lockdowns, whether out of boredom, increased temptation around the home or family members insisting on eating regular meals each day, which has caused them to gain weight. They have felt sad and guilty and some were worried about reactions from their peers when they returned to school.

As always, it’s important children know they can talk to adults they trust for help and support. They can also contact our Childline counsellors on 0800 1111 or online at www.childline.org.uk, where they can also speak to other young people who might be feeling the same way via moderated message boards.

Louise Israel

Childline Team Manager, Cardiff