Weight
Although almost 80% of the teenage girls studied in a recent survey fall within the healthy weight range, less than 50% saw their weight as "about right." The proportion who wanted to lose weight increased from 69% in 7th grade to 82% in 12th grade—including 49% of underweight girls. In another study, more than 30% of nine-year-old girls expressed fear of fatness, increasing in age to over 80% among 18-year-olds. More than the dark, more than mice and snakes and scary movies, what most teenage girls fear is growing fat. Although maintaining a healthy weight is very important, this shocking concern about weight is not healthy and can lead to serious problems, such as eating disorders.
(http://www.beinggirl.com/article/negative-body-image/) |