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I have noticed that whenever I chat to my friends, the subject usually comes around to dieting or body size. I have friends ranging from a size 10  to a size 28, and they all seem to suffer with a poor body image. What has the media done to us :o :o

cj :)

I agree Caroline. I was at college the other day and overheard a conversation between 2 ( very) young mums. Went along the lines of, I can still fit into my size 8 jeans even though I'm 4 months pregnant, I'm so lucky twitter,twitter. Was really shocked as 1) girl obviously feels no security within her relationship but is having 2nd baby and 2) no concept of being healthy or eating well to help babes and probably not a lot of energy for child she already has, and no concept that this was not a good thing. Although I do blame media I also think they'd have no power without the women who buy into the 'dream'.
The nice thing is my 7 year old daughter saw Kate Moss on rimmel ad and said "Ooh mum, that woman looks horrible" when I asked her why she thought that she said "She looks all skinny and evil!"

I'm now getting concerned, my 8 year old grandson is worried about his weight..he's very slim and was told by another child he's fat..
he's worried about eating anything remotely 'unhealthy'..he eats every fruit and veg going, plenty of lean meat..his mum's a nurse..and he's worried about the occasional bar of chocolate or bag of crisps..

how do we go about reassuring him..oh, he's in a rugby team, plays football , rides a bike and goes out for walks every day with his dog..ideas please   :-\

Manics, that's such a shame. My nephew is the same because someone at school called him fat. He is healthy, active 9 year old boy. We've all tried to reassure him and show him photos of us at same age to show how we change, but I think he still frets. He plays football, rides his bike everywhere, comes to us in the summer and runs around the south coast like a mad thing, but still worries. I feel so sorry for him as I don't remember worrying about anything at that age, other than how to explain to my mum I'd fallen out of a tree (again) or that my Gnasher badge from the Beano wasn't going to turn up.
All we can do is build their self esteem and confidence and hope it's enough!!

I have just watched the news! A model has died from a heart attack, it was thought that all she had eaten for three months was lettuce. When is the fashion industry going to allow women with ordinary bodies to understand that they are the norm! and that thin is not beautifull.
One of my friends has dieted to the point of losing her health, just to try to get her ex back, he likes thin women. I am so worried about her :'( :'(
I know that I am over-weight for my height, but , I eat .plenty of fruit and veg, and walk every day, so am not too unhappy about it.
Sorry to rant, but this subject worries me!

It worries me as well, I teach in a poor area and have seen the growth of obesity but most pupils/children have no idea about normal body weight... I am 6' and just under 11 stone, probably helped by developing Lactose intolerance... but now I have stopped eating a full box of after eight mints a day (to keep my weight up) I wait for the beer gut to develop!
???

I see two problems here; firstly, most people in the UK are on poor to very poor diets, secondly, we have this ridiculous obsession with being a particular shape.

Spot on Robert !!!

thank you, surely it has to be a health thing..as opposed to what you look like..don't get me on my soap box  ;D ;D

I hate the whole body image thing.  I'm 6ft and currently in a 16.  I'm exercising every day right now as I'm getting married in Jamaica in 6 months so want to be toned.  Not bothered about my dress size, it probably won't go down, just want to be fit.  I hate the fact that I'm considered as this huge fat beast by the general public who've been force fed this false image of normality by the media.  Being so tall too, I just feel like a freak most of the time. >:(

My 8 year old has been called fat at school too, and spotty and ugly because he has freckles.  He hasn't an ounce of fat on him:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/Laney2005/IM000234.jpg

lovely looking little lad, all we can do is love them and try to build up their confidence  :)

Not one of my female friends is happy with their body shape, and now, some of my male friends are beginning to develop the same hang-ups about their bodies and the way they look.

It is totally the fault of the perfect images that are produced by the media - no-one seems to stop and remember that they aren't actually real - they're all airbrushed and photo-shopped into that perfection.

I made a conscious decision in my early 20's to never, ever read a so-called "woman's magazine" again - they are at the root of the "body-issues" evil. I'm 5'8", I eat a reasonably healthy diet, get lots of exercise and as long as my clothes continue to fit me, then I know I'm doing OK. I'm not saying I don't bother about how I look but I try not to obsess about it like lots of women I know - there are more important things to do with your life.

The Bas Lurhman song "Sunscreen" gets it right when he says - "Do not read beauty magazines - they will only make you feel ugly"..... I make sure I play it regularly to my girls.. some of it should hopefully stick in their minds!

8-year-olds don't have a very big repertoire of insults; it's usually 'fat' 'ugly' 'gay' and anything else they've heard from their parents. Terms are used almost at random, and often they don't even know what they mean. But they really get upset over it!

Tabby-cat, I'm getting a copy of that song for my girls. I used to love mags when I was younger, but it's so true, they do make you feel ugly (or poor, or fat, or out of the loop if you don't need a 'capsule wardrobe' for work)
Robert, I agree that 8 year olds insult repertoire is pretty limited and my nephew has taken the insults levelled at him really to heart!
As to they don't know what it means- so true. My daughter came up to me while i was queuing to get into school play, with her little friend who is the main source of all bad words and phrases that pop up in our house and announced to me, the queue and anyone else who could hear that she was a lesbian! She is 7! Could have died? Doesn't even cover it!!
Was a bit shocked when I told her what a lesbian was though and agreed it was possibly a bit early to make up her mind! At least if she is, she won't have any trouble coming out!! :o

I am going to get so much flack from saying this, but , I think that there is far too much pressure nowadays for children to grow-up . To my mind, this is reflected in their clothes, magazines, hobbies etc. I hate to see little girls in crop tops and even thongs!There is so much peer pressure for them to put up with. Why can't children be allowed to enjoy their childhood whilst they can!
Yes, before you ask, I do have children!

Cookie could not agree with more - all children are not given the chance to stay children long enough any more. 
They are involved in too many grown up things now for my liking.

Parents seem to make the mistake in thinking they should be their little friends rather than their children,
when we were kids we were never involved in grown up problems and certainly were dressed as children not little grown ups.

Cookie, I don't know who'd give you flak for saying that, you're so right! Have you seen the t-shirts on markets that say "If you think I'm a b***h, you should meet my mum! Or the little girls dressed as tiny adults, fully accesorised with handbag etc? Tragic. I was proper dirty knees little girl and that's what I want for my girls too. They are so happy in their wellies and riding bikes and being little. childhood is gone so quickly anyway, I don't know why people want to hurry it along. Little lad in the park today is in my 7 year olds class. Called his mum on his mobile phone!  :'(