Butterfly Foundation’sButterfly Foundation’sBody Image & Self EsteemBody Image & Self Esteem

Presented Presented

Brenda Cheveralls & Sandi FraserBrenda Cheveralls & Sandi Fraser

The Butterfly FoundationThe Butterfly Foundation

Is Australia’s largest charitable organisation that supports Australians who suffer from negative Body Image and subsequent Eating Disorders through:

- Direct financial relief

- Online support and Toll-Free Helpline

- Advocacy and Awareness Campaigns

- Education Services to Young People, Professionals and Parents

- Community fundraising and events

- Research

http://www.thebutterflyfoundation.org.au/

Butterfly Foundations Butterfly Foundations FREE TO BEFREE TO BE

A Body Esteem ResourceA Body Esteem Resource A program aiming to build self-esteem and positive

body image in young people

Developed by Eating Disorders Association (UK) & the Dove Self Esteem Fund

Designed to be delivered by education, community, youth and health professionals

Training workshop once a year in WA

What will be covered?What will be covered?

What do we mean by Body Image? Research Influences Strategies Resources

Body ImageBody Image

What is it?What is it?

The perception that someone has of their physical self and the feelings they experience as a result of this perception.

Body image is how we feel about the way we look.

Body Esteem relates more specifically to the thoughts and feelings a person has about their appearance shape and size.

Positive Body ImagePositive Body Image

Characteristics of body image can be both positive and negative.

Positive body image: Positive self-esteem Positive self-confidence Good connection to work, school and community Involvement in sport, team and community activities Positive relationships Healthy attitude and relationship with food RESILIENCE

Negative Body ImageNegative Body Image

Negative body image:

Low self-esteem Low self-confidence Limited connection to school, work & community Relationship difficulties Limited involvement in sport, team and community

activities Disordered eating Mental health concerns e.g. depression, anxiety, eating

disorders

Australian study, Mission Australia Australian study, Mission Australia 20102010

1:3 females and 1:4 males ranked body image as their number one personal concern (Nov 2010)

Males report a high focus on sport, which may reflect their high levels of body dissatisfaction. This, in turn, has been shown to be related to health risk behaviours (eg use of food supplements, exercise dependence, disordered eating)

More than 70% of teenage girls want to be thinner, even those of low weight.

ResearchResearch

Eating disorders have doubled in the last decade Disordered eating is emerging as a norm in Australian

society with 90% of 12-17 year old girls and 68% of 12 – 17 year old boys having been on a diet of some type.

Links to research projects at the Butterfly Foundation Website.

Study- 869 school girls aged 14-16Study- 869 school girls aged 14-16

One third ( 36%) of the girls reported using at lease one extreme dieting method in the past month ( crash dieting, fasting, slimming tablets, diuretics, laxatives or cigarettes)

Young women see more images of ‘beautiful’ women in one day than their

mothers saw through their entire adolescence.

How big an issue is it?How big an issue is it?

National Body Image Advisory Group

Announced March 2009 by Federal Govt

To work in partnership with the media, health sector, fashion industry and young people.

Early InterventionEarly InterventionThe Butterfly Foundation says that it is well documented that early intervention in young people with issues around poor body image, disordered eating or Eating Disorders can ensure a far shorter recovery time than if intervention is later and the behaviours have become more entrenched.

InfluencesInfluences

Peers & friends Boyfriends & girlfriends Family Community members (e.g. teachers) Media Fashion Entertainment industry Sports stars

Media and FashionMedia and Fashion

Boyfriends and GirlfriendsBoyfriends and Girlfriends

Entertainment IndustryEntertainment Industry

MediaMedia

Popular culture tools GQ and Kate Winslet Women’s Weekly- Sarah Murdoch News readers- No make-up SOME small SHIFT IN MEDIASOME small SHIFT IN MEDIA May 04, 2012 Vogue Magazine has decided to ban underage and

skinny models Just how thin is too thin and how young is too young to be featured on

the pages of fashion magazines? Vogue editors around the globe have pledged to ban skinny and underage models in their glossies to shift the industry's approach to body image..

False advertisingFalse advertising

What can Parents do?What can Parents do?

Show an interest in you child’s friends and activities.

Talk – including about how media manipulate images

Praise them for their qualities, physical , mental, emotional

Encourage them to be individual, not to be like the rest.

Being a Good Role ModelBeing a Good Role Model

Focus on what the body can do and the parts you like

Avoid self berating talk Show how you can change something negative

into a positive – self talk out loud so children see how it is done.

Avoid body comparisons Avoid commenting on other peoples shape and

size

TalkTalk

Talk about negative feelings Talk about what they see in the media According to the body shop there are 3 billion women who

don’t look like supermodels and eight who do. Let kids know who benefits from making us look imperfect. - gyms

- diet industry (books, programs, food providers)

- make-up and perfume products

- plastic surgeons

Teach Self talk Self-esteem supports

– Recognise what makes you/child feel good and use these when feeling down eg music to boost your mood, walking the dog in the park, reading a book, talking to a friend. (video games tend not to boost mood rather further depress the mood)

Individual strengths– I am (loyal, good fun, helpful, care about the environment, have good

manners, try my best, honest, will try new things, brave……)

Changing negative thoughts to positive thoughts – Neg to Posi

I’m so stupid, why - The test may be hard but I will do my am I studying best and if I fail, oh well, I did my best.

Teach children to give and Teach children to give and receive complimentsreceive compliments

Is like a gift and supports positive self esteem.

Comments about who they are and their special inner qualities rather than looks

(comments on looks can often lead to misunderstandings, embarrassment and self conscious feelings and even compliments being refused.)

RIBBON TABLECompliments to ‘push up’

Giving compliments helps you feel good about yourself too

bullying and teasing IS NOT OK

WhiteGentleCalmHonest

RedEnergeticExcitableDetermined

PinkSweetKindBubbly

BrownDown to EarthHelpfulStrong

GreenOutdoorsyAdventurousHard working

PurpleFunInspiringLoyal

BlueSensitiveCaringBalanced

YellowSunnyBrightEnthusiastic

WebsitesWebsites

www.thebutterflyfoundation.org.auwww.thebutterflyfoundation.org.au

www.realitycheck,net.auwww.realitycheck,net.au

www.healthinsite.gov.auwww.healthinsite.gov.au

www.cyh.comwww.cyh.com

www.betterhealth.vic.gov.auwww.betterhealth.vic.gov.au

http://au.reachout.com.auhttp://au.reachout.com.au

www.campaignforrealbeauty.com.auwww.campaignforrealbeauty.com.au