Monday, March 07, 2005

And I wonder why every woman I know thinks they are fat...

Here's a heartwarming article for all you loyal readers out there. According to the study in this article, girls as young as SIX years old are worrying about their weight. Are you kidding me? At six years old the only things I was worried about were my big brother kicking my ass and whether or not my mom was going to make me finish my broccoli. According to the authors of the study, they believe that the reason this age coincides with sudden concern in body image is that schooling begins at roughly 5-7 years old. Therefore, peer pressure is likely responsible for the initial developement of negative body image. This certainly is not a definitive survey, with only 80 participants, but the implications are pretty frightening.

"Eating disorders have been recorded in children as young as eight, and there may have been instances in children of an even younger age." -UK's Eating Disorders Association