More than half of young people unhappy with their appearance, reveals Butterfly Foundation survey

At least half of school-aged young people dislike their bodies and admit this has caused them to miss school.

The findings come from new research by the Butterfly Foundation warning more needs to be done to tackle body image issues which pose significant risks to the health and wellbeing of today’s young people.

Around 78 per cent of the 3000 people from 12 to 18 questioned said they wished they were thinner, leaner or more muscular and eight in 10 believed primary schools needed to do more to combat body image issues, while 90 per cent felt the same about high schools.

Many young people said feeling dissatisfied with their bodies had caused them to withdraw socially, stay home from school and avoid playing sport.

The survey of males, females, gender diverse and LGBTQIA+ people revealed body image issues also impacted going to the beach for 82 per cent, going shopping for clothes for 69 per cent and participating in physical activities for 65 per cent.

“This is yet more evidence that young people’s body image is having a profound impact on every aspect of their lives and prevention and early intervention is critical to improve outcomes,” said Helen Bird, education services manager at the Butterfly Foundation, which supports people affected by eating disorders and negative body image.

An estimated 1.1 million people in Australia are living with an eating disorder, with recent data showing it is 21 per cent higher than in 2012. Less than a third receive treatment or support.

In 2023, more males reported high levels of body dissatisfaction than in 2022, while females, gender diverse and LGBTQIA+ youth continue to report the highest body dissatisfaction overall.

Body dissatisfaction is a leading risk factor in the development of an eating disorder and social media is worsening body image issues for almost two-thirds of young people questioned.

The majority, or 77 per cent, had received negative comments, or been teased, about their appearance, most frequently at school for 77 per cent, followed by home for 38 per cent and on social media for 33 per cent.

Pheobe, from Perth, who asked not to be identified, revealed she was nine years old when she started developing an eating disorder.

She said even in primary school she felt pressure to look thin.

“There are so many things in your everyday environment promoting a particular kind of ‘ideal body type’,” Pheobe, now in her 20s, told The West.

She said from a young age she felt bombarded by magazines and billboards with skinny women and promotions for diets and beauty products.

Feeling utterly overwhelmed by it all, she eventually gave in to the pressure, restricted what she ate and was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa.

“You give in to societal expectations,” she explained.

“This was certainly the case for me throughout primary and high school, and it really affected how I viewed myself and others, and my wellbeing.”

Dr Stephanie Damiano, manager of The Butterfly Foundation’s primary school body image program, said research showed it was not uncommon for children to start experiencing body dissatisfaction between the ages of five and seven.

She added it could start at any age, and affect any gender, but pointed out that children started developing the foundations for their body image very early in life.

Dr Damiano told The West more research was needed on the prevalence of body dissatisfaction in young children but the current thinking was that age six may be an important time for the onset of body dissatisfaction, with some studies showing girls at this age want to be thinner and boys at this age want more muscles.

“In a recent Butterfly Body Bright Lived Experience Survey, we surveyed adults who reported developing body image and/or eating concerns during primary school,” she said.

“Of the 165 respondents, nearly a third reported developing body dissatisfaction between the ages of five and seven.”

Dr Damiano explained body image issues were once thought to be an issue that affected teens and while it was still a critical issue for adolescents, there is now increasing awareness that eating disorders can “certainly” be experienced during childhood years too.

She said young people must be encouraged to see value in who they are, not how they look.

She stressed the importance of seeing themselves as a whole being rather just as a certain weight or shape.

It was vital young people knew that they did not need to change their appearance or body to be worthy, she added.

“Popular body ideals present a very narrow and unrealistic view of what bodies ‘should’ look like, and when we look at body ideals over the past decades, we see that these socially prescribed ideal ways of looking are forever changing,” Dr Damiano said.

“This is particularly dangerous in the age of social media where images are often edited or filters are used, with blemishes smoothed, certain features enhanced, wrinkles removed and faces and features slimmed down.

“Exposure to this sort of content can lead to unhelpful comparisons.

“When someone’s real-time appearance does not match what they are seeing online, or doesn’t fit the societal ‘ideal body’, this can contribute to feelings of appearance and body dissatisfaction and can encourage people to engage in harmful or risky behaviours in an attempt to meet these beauty ideals.”

She said not only were thin ideals still impacting young people today, there was the additional pressure to be more muscular as well now.

“Messages and images of bodies, particularly celebrities, sport or TV personalities and influencers portrayed in media and on social media, continue to glorify unrealistic and unattainable appearance ideals that can make young people feel like they need to be thin, curvy, muscular, lean, all at the same time,” noted Dr Damiano.

She said if anyone was concerned about a young person, aim to be compassionate, gentle and non-judgmental and that reaching out to a GP or Butterfly’s National Helpline were good places to start finding help.

Dr Jim Hungerford, CEO at Butterfly Foundation, added eating disorders were serious mental illnesses that could be life-threatening.

“With growing numbers of people in Australia experiencing eating disorders, everyone needs to hear loud and clear that eating disorders do not discriminate and you can never tell if someone is unwell just by looking at them,” he said.

“If you have concerns about yourself or someone you care about, Butterfly’s new online screening tool is a helpful first port of call.”

Australia’s e-Safety Commissioner has also funded a soon-to-be-released digital learning program for secondary students called Body Kind Online Education.

Help:

• Butterfly National Helpline on 1800 33 4673 (1800 ED HOPE) or support@butterfly.org.au
• ReachOut at au.reachout.com
• Size Inclusive Health Australia at sizeinclusivehealth.org.au
• For urgent support call Lifeline 13 11 14

Butterfly’s screening tool and the full results of the Butterfly Body Kind Youth Survey can be accessed at butterfly.org.au

Tip:

How to start the conversation around body image issues:

If you are concerned about a young person’s attitudes towards their appearance, eating or exercise, the key is trying to understand what’s going on for that young person.

Dr Stephanie Damiano suggested saying, for example, “I’ve noticed you’re not eating much at lunchtime, is there a particular reason for this?” Or “How are things, I feel that you don’t seem yourself. Can I help in anyway?”

She said it was important to focus on their feelings, rather than their weight or size and avoid discussing their eating behaviours or your concerns during mealtimes or when they are surrounded by their peers or other family members.

What parents can try at home to improve body satisfaction:

• Be a positive role model. Dr Stephanie Damiano said that didn’t mean you have to be perfect or have it all figured out, but show young people in your home what a healthy attitude and relationship towards your body, eating and physical activity could look like.
• Talk about bodies (your own and others) in a positive or neutral way. Dr Damiano suggested showing appreciation and gratitude for what your body allowed you to do and to move your body in ways enjoyable for your mind and body.
• Talk about how ALL foods can be part of healthy eating and have a purpose. For example, Dr Damiano said to talk about food as nutrition, fuel and pleasure. Also, instead of categorising foods, simply call them by their name (this means chocolate is chocolate, not a sweet or treat)

Avoid:

• Labelling foods as ‘good/bad’, ‘healthy/unhealthy’, ‘clean/toxic/junk’. Dr Damiano said to talk about foods by their name and sensory properties (i.e. bread is ‘bread’, rather than a ‘carb’).
• Suggesting that food, or certain foods, needed to be compensated or earned. Dr Damiano said avoid phrases such as ‘I’ll need to work off this piece of cake’, and ‘I’ve not eaten much today so I can eat this’.
• Teasing a child about their appearance or body, or singling out children of higher weight . If you’re concerned about a child’s health and think they would benefit from improved nutrition or physical activity, Dr Damiano suggested making changes as a whole family and not too make it about weight, shape or size.

Did you know?

• Research suggests only 11 per cent of Australians are confident they can recognise the signs that someone is living with an eating disorder.
• Two in five Australians were found in a survey to hold stigmatising views about eating disorders, for example, that eating disorders were a lifestyle choice, a sign of weakness and people could snap out of it if they wanted to.
• A survey revealed 26 per cent of GPs felt ‘not at all’ equipped to support people with an eating disorder, with only 15 per cent feeling ‘well equipped’.