A study conducted recently in the UK determined that watching just 10 minutes of music videos with "scantily clad women" was enough to cause young women to feel dissatisfied with their own bodies. In the media, there's certainly no shortage of "ideal" bodies - both male and female, and since teens spend large portions of their time listening to music and watching videos, they're constantly inundated with these images. We could continue to fight against the media, but maybe there's a better approach.

"To date, despite significant efforts, we have not had demonstrable success in raising self-esteem, part of which is physical self-awareness. A more promising approach with demonstrable positive results is the teaching of coping skills - how to deal with the environment we find ourselves in, how to reduce self-blame when we do not match up with images thrust upon us, and how to be judicious in determining what is good and how that can be achieved."

Teens whose families are close and have open lines of communication, often handle on the media's portrayal of "the perfect body" better. Often, they also have a healthier self-image, and a better understanding and appreciation for who they are as individuals. Read more at TheAge.com.au.

Labels: body_image, media_influences, self-image_issues