Physical effects have to do with body image. Over the past century, the ideal body shape and size for men and women has changed. The ideal body size and shape for adolescent boys has changed from a larger body to become more muscular with a physically fit appearance. The ideal shape for women has changed from a curvaceous shape in the mid-1900s to become noticeably leaner and slimmer to align with current fashion trends (Lawrie, 2006). The common misconception is that body image just incorporates being thin, it also involves being overweight. In Myers’ study she stated, “Studies have shown that even when body weight is considered healthy by objective standards, people, and especially women, may consider themselves to be overweight due to an unrealistic perception of their body shape and in light of comparisons with cultural messages” (Myers, 2014). Anorexia is a type of self-harm. Ninety percent of cases are in females, and it tends tom develop between the ages of 14 and 18 years. The main sign that someone is anorexic is weight loss. Friends and family may notice a change in the individual's eating habits. External signs could include excessive exercising in an attempt to burn off more calories than the individual consumes, all with the aim of reducing the amount of calories absorbed from food they have eaten. Anorexia can cause anemia, hypoglycemia, osteoporosis, cardiovascular problems, kidney and liver damage and ultimately death (Katherine Gascoigne, 2010). When other children start to notice a difference in the individual with anorexia, they begin to isolate them because of this difference. This leaves the individual alone. Anorexia is an obsessive disorder, so it takes a lot from the children and leaves them in a world wind of doubt and unable to concentrate. Eating disorders are becoming very common “in a nationally representative sample of 6000 American adolescents in 5th through 12th grade, 13.4% of girls and 7.1% of boys reported engaging in both binge-eating and purging behavior” (Ackard, 1999) This goes to show the increasing amount of children are concerned with their body image, especially in female adolescents. They physical effects can be very life threatening to a child’s health and lead to death. School can become an aggravation and hard to manage to the already overbearing thoughts of trying to be what they believe is the ideal body size.
|