Body Image Statistics across the United States By: Blake Hyepock

Graph 1 Graph 1was taken in 2006 and shows the statistics of teenage girls who truly are overweight compared to teenage girls who think they are overweight. The number of girls who think they are overweight is nearly six times higher then those who are actually overweight. http://www.usatoday.com/educate/health/snaps/wtperceive.htm

Graph 2 Graph 2 was taken in 2009 and shows statistics of women and the view of their body image. Only half of women feel positively about their physical condition and appearance , while over half of women polled felt negatively about their weight and physique. http://www.bodyimageinmedia.com/photo/1179016/?k=j83s12y12h94s27k02

Graph 3 Graph 3 was taken in 2008 and shows the various factors that influence a teenage girls perception on personal body image. Media’s influence is fourth, only behind friends, family, and fashion. http://www.girlscouts.org/research/what_girls_say/body_image.asp

Conclusions Media is constantly affecting the way teenage girls view their body image. It has created negative views where an overwhelming number of girls view themselves as overweight, when in actuality they are not. Media is clearly one of the top influential aspects of a teenage girls life. Countless girls are not satisfied with their personal weight, physique, personal appearance or personal weight.

Solutions Something needs to be done to address this issue and help instill a positive perception of body image in teenage girls. Help us in our journey in the education of teenage girls across America about the negative affects media, specifically magazine advertisements, has on their personal body image. Please feel free to search our blog which can help provide many useful tools and information, such as graphs, pictures, and various arguments, to help create awareness among teenage girls across the United States.