One of my friends hinted that I don’t have a boyfriend because the way I look. She said, “you’re really cute and all, but boys want more than that. You should try makeup and tighter clothes.”

Body image is formed as a result of physiological, psychological and social changes.

Adolescents perceive their bodies both with outward appearance and benefits for themselves.

Girls and young women often report low levels of self-esteem, particularly during early adolescence.

Body image develops in the context factors, such as unrealistic media images of female beauty.

In a study, adolescent girls described their ideal as 5 ft 7 in., 100 lb, and size 5—an ultra-thin, if not anorexic, body size.

An estimated 12% of girls report using extreme weight-loss strategies fasting, using diet pills, laxatives abuse, or vomiting.

A population-based study found that 1/4th of girls feel unable to talk to their mothers about, problems.

Parents have a influence on perception on eating, body image and weight in teens.

“ I talked to my mom about my thighs, she said she does not like her thighs either. She says all Italians have fat thighs.”

“ My mother always told me if you think your fat, you are.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31Ajvix6DXs&feature=related

Peers and friends give children information about themselves and the world.

The media—magazines, TV, films, advertising, music videos—not only emphasize that female self-worth should be based on appearance, but present a powerful cultural ideal of female beauty that is becoming increasingly unattainable.

If someone really knew what teen girls feel would they help?

If someone really knew the pressure would they talk to them about it?

You’re only as beautiful as you think you are, so you can’t be pretty unless you learn that you’re pretty. People come in all shapes and sizes, and you have to deal with the one you’ve been given.

Whatever your appearance is, you have to get comfortable.

Take a stand for helping teens though hard times!!

Chadwick, Dara. You'd Be so Pretty If... Cambridge: Life Long, 2009. Print. Dorak, Ferudun. "Self-Esteem and Body Image of Turkish Adolescents Girls." Ebsco [JJC Library]. Social Behavior and Personality, 2011. Web. 8 Mar. 2012. Clay, Daniel, Vivian L. Vignoles, and Helga Dittmar. "Body Image and Self

EsteemAmong Adolescent Girls: Testing the Influence of Sociocultural Factors." Ebsco [JJC Library]. Journal of Research on Adolescents, 2005. Web. 7 Mar. 2012.

Hall, Sharon K. "Social Competence as Pathway." Raising KIds in the 21st Century.

Wiley-Blackwell, 2008. 109. Print.

Sabbah, Haleama Al, Carine A. Vereecken, Frank J. Elgar, Tonja Nansel, Katrin Abdeen, Kristiina Ojala, Namanjeet Ahuwalia, and Lea Maes.

"Body Weight Dissatisfaction and Communication with Parents among Adolescents in 24 Countries: International Cross-sectional

Survey." Http://www.biomedcentral.com/147-2458/9/52/prepub. BioMed Central, 6 Feb. 2009. Web. 7 Mar. 2012