1. Bullying and Body Image

2. Bullying
Although bullying can occur among individuals of any weight, overweight and underweight children tend to be at higher risk for bullying.  Targets of verbal bullying based on weight, sometimes referred to as  “weight teasing,” can experience a number of negative consequences, including a change in body perception.
 In 1997, a US study revealed that 56% of women and 43% of men were dissatisfied with their body image.2Current research suggests that the high number of negative body image issues in Western societies is linked to unrealistic ideals of beauty promoted in mainstream media. 

3. Body Images Affects Guys too!
“A key issue for men around body image is that they don’t necessarily have a language to describe their body image,” she tells us. “The whole language of managing your body is quite feminised. But what we know is that men are concerned about muscularity in particular, not being thin. So with a lot of the research literature produced about body image focused on weight management issues and dieting, that’s not a set of terms that resonates with men.”
For the boys, of which 35% per cent of respondents said they’d been bullied, there were concerns centered around weight, height, skin condition and hair colour. Across the genders, 38% said they wanted to change their appearance. It is thought that the statistics surrounding the male respondents are likely to be much lower than in reality as many will find it hard to be honest about these issues.

4. Effects of Bullying
A study in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology  found that adolescents teased about weight tended to have a body image that was more negative than those not teased because of weight. Victims of weight teasing who have a negative body image may be at a higher risk for developing unhealthy eating and exercising habits. This could lead to disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating. In fact, as many as 65% of people with eating disorders say bullying contributed to their condition. 

5. Media Influence
Various studies focusing on the negative effects of media on body image show that a majority of women feel less confident about their looks after seeing other women portrayed in magazines, on television or in other forms of the media.
In reality, only a small percentage of those in the Western hemisphere match the images portrayed in the media. Because of that, these unrealistic images are a major contribution to what causes women and men alike to have a poor self-image, which leads to living unhealthy lifestyles in hopes of achieving the perfect body.

10. Global Body Image

11. Coping Methods Promote healthy eating and exercise habits.
Do not to compare yourselves to your peers.
Set a good example by not criticizing your own body or the bodies of others.
Help victims of bullying boost self-esteem by focusing on their positive attributes.
Do the things you love. This boosts confidence and builds healthy friendships
Change your role models
Volunteer to do things you really like to do
Create a support system of good friends and listen to THEM, not haters.
If it is your family or friends, calmly explain how their microaggressions affect you honestly.
Journal and use daily affirmations. Focus on positive thoughts.
Take pride in your accomplishments. Refocus your energy and attention.

12. Reimagine
A simple change in how one feels and perceives their own body image is enough to turn a negative body image into a positive one. Here are some characteristics of those who have positive body images:
They have a true perception of their shape
They see their body how it really is, not how they imagine it
They celebrate and embrace their natural body
They understand that appearance has little to do with character and personal value
They are proud of their body
They are accepting of their body
They refuse to spend an unreasonable amount of time concerned with food, calories and their weight
They are overall confident and comfortable with their own body

13. Affirmations "My body deserves love and respect.“
"Food is not the enemy and I thank the food I eat for nourishing me."
"I thank you, body, for serving me in ______ way today. You always take such good care of me."
"My worth isn't defined by my weight. I define my worth and I am worthy."
"Others opinions of my body do not affect or involve me."
"Society has taught me to hate my ______. Today, I declare that I love my _____ because of its ______."
"Even though I've felt ashamed of _____ body part, I commit to changing it. Five things I find to love about it are_____."

14. Works Cited
"Bullied teens who became models launch male self-esteem campaign." Bullied teens who became models launch male self-esteem campaign. MSN., 16 Oct Web. 12 Mar
"Dealing With Feelings When You're Overweight." KidsHealth. Ed. Mary L. Gavin. The Nemours Foundation, Sept Web. 12 Mar
"Helping Teens with Negative Body Image.” NoBullying – Bullying & CyberBullying Resources. N.p., 22 Dec Web. 12 Mar
Perugini, Chelsea. "Stopbullying Blog." Bullying and Body Image | Blog | StopBullying.gov. Department of Health and Human Services, 18 Aug Web. 12 Mar