Concerns about body shape & early dieting
An alarming trend shows that girls as young as primary-school age are increasingly troubled by their self-image, with more than a third of those aged between 10 and 11 eager to lose weight and adopting drastic methods to pursue their ideal body shape.
The study comes from the Schools Health Education Unit that shows that teenage girls in Britain are responding to anxiety about their appearance in a celebrity culture that emphasizes on looks.
Of the 83,000 pupils interviewed, almost a third of girls in Year 10 (14- to 15-year-olds) skipped breakfast; 24 per cent also missed lunch the day before. The proportion of young women skipping meals increased with age: almost two-thirds of 14- to 15-year-olds want to lose weight, and they adopt a series of methods in pursuit of a certain look. Of Year Six (10- to 11-year-olds) girls and boys questioned, 40 per cent said that they consumed no protein “on most days”. But around a quarter ate crisps, sweets or chocolate regularly.
The study also revealed that three quarters of girls aged 14 to 15 drank less than a litre of water on the day before they were questioned and 12% drank none at all.
Dr Laura Wyness, a senior scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation, said, “Popular media has a large influence on young people's body image, placing a great deal of pressure on obtaining the 'ideal' body shape. This often leads to young girls adopting unhealthy practices. These include smoking, skipping meals, especially breakfast, severely limiting foods perceived as fattening, such as red meat and dairy produce, which are important sources of protein, iron, zinc and calcium, and adopting very low energy, and therefore nutrient, diets.”
There are around 2.8 million teenage girls in the UK and around 2.7 million boys.
Alcohol abuse in teenagers
In another disturbing find from the study children as young as 12 are drinking the equivalent of 19 glasses of wine a week. Four per cent of the 12- to 13-year-olds surveyed had drunk 28 or more units of alcohol in the past week. Most teenagers said they were drinking the alcohol at home or at friends’ houses and didn't have to go out to get it.
Experts said the depressing findings confirmed many of their concerns. Simon Antrobus, chief executive of the charity Addaction, which helps people with drug and alcohol problems, said, “These new figures back up our own experiences. We know children who drink at younger ages are the ones who need help most. We also know that children whose parents misuse alcohol are more likely to develop their own problems later in life. It is essential that these children, and their families, have access to specialist support at the earliest possible opportunity.”
Depression and fear of violence
Analysis of Department for Education statistics by the think tank Demos earlier this year revealed the extent to which self- esteem differs between teenage girls and boys. It concluded that a significantly higher proportion of girls aged 14 to 15 felt “worthless”, “unhappy or depressed”, or “low in confidence”, compared with boys.
Among boys, the fear of violence was a big factor with one in five saying they carry weapons for protection. Girls expressed more concern over bullying than boys with a third aged 10 and 11 frightened to go to school because they were being picked on.
Lack of sleep and too much time before the screen
The report also discovered that many youngsters are not getting enough sleep, with almost half of teenage girls admitting they are not able to stay alert at school as a result. Sixty-three per cent of pupils aged 12 and 13 said they were lacking in sleep and this drops as they get older. Forty-eight per cent of Year 10 girls said they do not get enough sleep with 41 per cent of boys the same age claiming they don't sleep enough either. The study also reveals that children are spending more time in front of the TV or computer than doing homework.
Cathy Ranson, editor-in-chief of parenting website Netmums.com, said, “The findings in this study make interesting reading for parents, particularly the fact that a very large proportion of young people admit to not getting enough sleep for them to stay alert and concentrate at school. In an age where many young people have access to a computer, TV or mobile phone in their bedroom these findings don't come as a huge surprise. Encouraging our offspring to switch off and go to sleep seems to be the key to helping them feeling alert and able to function at school.”
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