1. Body Image and Body Consciousness in the Modern World: Eating Disorders and other Self-Sabotage
CONSTANCE TIPIS

2. BODY IMAGE
Definition:
The subjective picture or mental image of one's own body
Emanates from:
Different socialization agents, which mold an individual’s perception of their body

3. Cultural context defines the “ideal body image”

4. IDEAL BODY IMAGE

5. IDEAL BODY IMAGE

6. IDEAL BODY IMAGE
Dynamicity of the ideal body image
Pervasive need to conform to the ideal body image
Inability to conform to the ideal body image triggers self-sabotaging behaviors

7. Change in Kenya’s “ideal body image”
KENYAN CONTEXT
Change in Kenya’s “ideal body image”
Key factors responsible for the change:
Globalization
Media

8. Need to conform to a global culture that is superficial
GLOBALIZATION
The global village:
Enmeshment of the different cultures
Global culture of vanity:
Need to conform to a global culture that is superficial
VANITY is the in thing…

9. MEDIA Unsuspecting consumers of the media
Social media blurring the lines further
Significant interest in how adolescents consume social media
Swimsuit studies: Dr. Walsh, “Girls are not comparing themselves to media ideals as much as one would expect, but they are making micro- comparisons to their peers”

10. SELF-SABOTAGE- EATING DISORDERS
Increased prevalence of self-sabotage behaviors globally
E.g. eating disorders
Prevalence rates in Western countries for anorexia nervosa ranged from 0.1% to 5.7% in female subjects. Prevalence rates for bulimia nervosa ranged from 0% to 2.1% in males and from 0.3% to 7.3% in female subjects in Western countries. Prevalence rates in non-Western countries for bulimia nervosa ranged from 0.46% to 3.2% in female subjects” (Makino et. al., 2004)
Kenya:
Few studies e.g. Afzan Tharani’s study on investigating the prevalence of eating disorders among adolescent females being impacted by Western socio-cultural and media influences.

11. Critical developmental period
ADOLESCENCE
Critical developmental period
Vulnerable population, highly impressionable
Struggle with self-expression

12. CAN EXPRESSIVE ARTS BE THE ANSWER?
YES

13. POSITIVE BODY CONSCIOUSNESS
Shift to positive body consciousness:
Self-acceptance
Holistic wellness- body and mind

14. .
THE END