How to Talk to Kids about Body Image and Self Care with Charlotte Markey

As children grow and enter their preteens and teens, they experience a lot of changes. Social changes, emotional changes, cognitive changes, and yes, physical changes as well. Many girls and boys feel dissatisfied with their bodies. Countless studies have shown that negative body image in girls has been linked with depression and eating disorders as they receive message after message that thinner is better and in fact, thinner is synonymous with being beautiful, well-liked, popular and good. Boys also are pressured to look a certain way—they get the message through toys, commercials, social media, TV and movies that “real men” are athletic and muscular. Perhaps it’s not surprising that a third of teen boys are trying to “bulk up” due to being dissatisfied with their bodies- and did you know that boys and men account for 25% of eating disorder cases? Talking about body image, nutrition, weight and the messages kids receive about their bodies is necessary to keep our children healthy, physically and mentally, as they grow and develop. Let’s discuss it! We have Charlotte Markey on today to talk about body image in both boys and girls!

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