Body image is how a person sees himself/herself.  It is not necessarily how that person actually looks, but what the person holds true about his/her body.  In today's society people often have negative body images.  The media seems to promote an almost impossible body ideal for men and women.  People feel that they must look like these models or actors and actresses, even though it is unrealistic.  Everyone has a unique body and the ideal is generally unachievable by most people.  Many problems occur from having a negative body image including low self-esteem and eating disorders.  It is often believed that women suffer the most from poor or distorted body images, but men do too, as well as children. The following internet links introduce ideas about body image.  They explore the foundations of negative body images and offer ideas to correct them.  The links deal with women, athletes, men, and children.

Body Image  (http://www.health-net.com/image.htm)
This site includes a body image survey to allow readers to find out about their own body image.  It discusses how most people are unhappy with at least some part of their body.  An explanation for negative body image is low self-esteem.  The article gives the advice of not dwelling on body problems, but to love all the good things that your body is and does.

Bring the Noise  (http://www.mightymedia.com/youth/new/noise.cfm)
This page is actually a reader's poll that asks whether or not image of women on TV are damaging to self-esteem and health.  There are interesting quotes about weight, dieting, and other body-image problems.  I thought it was particularly interesting that they included quotes form models (those believed to fit the ideal norm) about their perceived imperfections. Finally this site includes reader's responses about media images and self-esteem.  They are interesting to read because they include both extreme views on the issue.

About-Face  (http://www.about-face.org/)
This page is made by the About-Face group.  Its purpose is to combat negative and distorted images of women.  They have many different sections including on eon offenders of their ideas (modern companies promoting the feminine ideal of thinness), how to change these ideas resources of other related sites and even recent newspaper clippings discussing problems of this sort.  It focuses on trying to promote a positive body image in women.  There was lots of great information on this page!

BODY IMAGE AND "EATING DISORDERS"  (http://english-www.hss.cmu.edu/feminism/real-and-ideal-body-image.txt)
This site takes a look at body image and eating disorders.  It discusses the fact that range in body types in the past are not any different than today but the ideal has changed.  The media presents images of white, slim, middle/upper class women which has become the ideal today.  The economy also plays a role in the development of this ideal.  There are many companies that thrive upon the ideal of being thin and use this to sell their products.  The article continues to explain the dangers of trying to be too thin.  Going to the extremes, being very thin or overweight, can cause serious health problems.

Athletes More Likely to Scrutinize Their Bodies  (http://132.235.238.184/archives/020696/athletes.html)
This site takes a look at athletes and body images.  The article asserts that athletes are more likely to scrutinize their bodies.  Particular sports are prone to this scrutinization.  The article begins with an interesting observation.  Parents often give Barbies to their little girls, they never think about how this could affect their daughter's body image later on in life.  This article also includes common signs of people with eating disorders.

Athletes and Eating Disorders  (http://www.mirror-mirror.org/athlete.htm)
This article is entitled Athletes and Eating Disorders.  It states that the number of athletes with problems is on the rise.  This is particularly scary because athletes with eating disorders have a higher risk of medical complications.  It looks at what causes athletes to develop eating disorders.  It also includes many great links to information about eating disorders, how to identify them , and how to help.

Things Coaches Can Do...  (http://www.laureate.com/coaches.html)
With a main focus on athletes and eating disorders, this article offers advice and suggestions to coaches.  It is entitled "Things a coach can do to help prevent eating disorders in athletes".  The article describes how coaches can promote positive self-image and build self-esteem in their athletes.

Beauty, Sport, and Mass Media  (http://members.aol.com/ProWaylan/GrayResearch.html)
(Look for the third article on this page, about half way down)  This article is entitled Beauty, Sport, and Mass Media.  It describes athletes as reflecting the "ideal body" form.  The athlete's body, muscular, and fat free, is see as beautiful.  Instead of showing women as frail and weak, commercials show hard working, muscular women.  This article uses Duncan's article (from Philosophic Inquiry in Sport) to help the argument.

MEN AND EATING DISORDERS  (http://www.mirror-mirror.org/men.htm)
This turns the focus away from women and athletes to men.  Although it is less identified, men also face problems with their body image.  About 10% of eating disorder sufferers are men.  This article states that eating disorders are not always a vanity issue and often for men it is a self-esteem problem.

Nutrition Expedition: Body Image   (http://www.fsci.umn.edu/nutrexp/animationmania.html)
This article deals with kids and body image.  It is designed especially for kids.  Carbo the dog discusses how to build a better body image.  He answers questions from children about body image.  This site also gives some "feel good" suggestions that should be read by not only children, but also adults.  It also links to a Nutritional Trail Guide for children.

Two extra sites, that I found interesting:

JOINING THE SIZE ACCEPTANCE REVOLUTION:   Doing Your Part.  (http://www.naafa.org/documents/brochures/revolution.html)
The Fat Acceptance movement!  This article explains that here is a bias against fat people because of societal ideals.  It gives suggestions on how to avoid these images and take pride in being fat.

Promoting Healthy Body Image  (http://www.opc.on.ca/beststart/bodyimg/httoc.html)
This article is about promoting healthy body images.  It explores body image problems, maternal weight struggles and consequently low birth weights, and ideas for change.  It focus is primarily on pregnant women, but it presents many good facts and ideas.
 

Return to class readings page:  Kinesiology 493: Philosophy of Kinesiology