Tag: body image

Childline hearing from young people with concerns about body image and eating disorders

NSPCC service, Childline, is hearing from young people who have concerns about their body image and eating disorders.

Statistics 

  • In 2024/25, Childline delivered 3,421 counselling sessions where the main concern was eating/body image disorders. 
  • During the same time, Childline delivered almost 1,000 counselling sessions where a young person mentioned body image issues. 
  • Childline delivered over 970 counselling sessions where a young person mentioned calorie and/or food restriction.  
  • A child’s age was known in 73% of counselling sessions about eating/body image disorders. Of these, almost two thirds (59%) were with young people aged 12-15, 35% of counselling sessions were with children aged 16-18, while 6% were with children aged 11 and under. 

Key Concerns 

In counselling sessions on body image and eating disorders, the main topics that children mentioned include:  

  • Body image issues  
  • Calorie and food restriction 
  • Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa 
  • Weight concerns 
  • Accessing support and services  
  • Binge eating  
  • Purging  
  • ARFID (Avoidant / Restrictive Food Intake Disorder)  
  • Over-exercising  

24-year-old Lauren* from Glasgow, whose name has been changed to protect her identity*, said: “From as young as five, I was having body image insecurities. I would look at different parts of my body and think it wasn’t good enough or try to measure the size of my stomach.  

“When I got to secondary school my eating disorder habits started, and I began to manipulate my food intake.  

“Restricting my food intake was a way of staying in control. I would have juice and water throughout the day in school and then go home and have my dinner so no one would notice. I was trying to be as secretive about it as possible.  

“When I was at university and the pressure started to build academically, I felt I needed to put more discipline into my routine and that included food, exercise and weight loss. I started calorie counting and restricting my food intake again.  

“I ended up unconscious after a night out due to the impact on my body from not eating, alongside drinking alcohol. The next day my friend booked me a doctor’s appointment, came with me and spoke on my behalf because she was so worried.  

“Then I was admitted to an NHS specialised treatment programme for eating disorders. Unfortunately, I didn’t find the service very helpful and eventually sought private support instead.  

“This is when I found a coaching programme which is carried out by someone who has been through the process of eating disorder recovery themselves and is action focused.  

“I know how to protect myself now and I am much better than I ever thought I would be. I’m not fully recovered yet, but I would say I am 90% of the way there and I believe it’s possible.  

“My advice to anyone struggling with disordered eating or body image concerns, is that if people only found you interesting or only liked you because you could shrink your body, then they’re not the type of people that you need to have in your life anyway.”  

Snapshots  

Body image issues 

“I hate my body. I wish it was more muscly, more manly. I go to the gym loads but I still feel uncomfortable in there knowing how small I look to everyone” Boy, 15, Childline, Scotland 

Binge eating 

“Home is so stressful, I feel like none of us get on anymore. When I can’t take it anymore, I end up binge eating and it’s been going on so long that I’ve gained a lot of weight. I’m so tired of it all but I feel like it’s only going to get worse” Girl, 15, Scotland 

Calorie and/or food restriction (undiagnosed) 

“It started a few months ago, seeing other girls’ bodies in PE made me feel so fat besides them. I tried to ask my mum about losing weight and she was a bit dismissive, so I knew I needed to tackle it myself. I put myself on very low calories, which is working, but I have been fainting, feeling really exhausted, and stopped focusing at school. I think I know this isn’t the right way to do it, but is it that bad if no one has even noticed I’m doing it yet?” Girl, 16, Childline  

Purging (e.g. vomiting and laxatives)  

“This girl at school would always call me fat. My friends are all skinny, the girls I see on TikTok are skinny. I started purging and skipping meals last year and I’m finally skinny, but mum finally noticed and gets angry when I don’t eat properly. I can’t go back to eating 3 meals a day again, I can’t go back to being fat” Girl, 12, Childline 

Overexercising 

“It’s got to the point where I feel I can’t control myself. I didn’t want to be that ‘fat’ boy anymore, so I started working out and running. I started doing it every day, then twice a day, then at lunch times and now I even sneak out at night to exercise. I know I have a problem, but I’m scared my family will make me stop all together if I tell them what’s going on.” Boy, 15, Childline

Shaun Friel, Childline Director, said: “With the warm weather continuing and families planning their summer holidays, young people might be finding themselves in positions where they feel anxious about their body image.  

“To cope, some young people are taking drastic measures, such as restricting their food intake or purging once they have eaten. Some children tell us that unrealistic beauty standards are affecting their wellbeing and self-worth, with many comparing themselves to others, such as classmates and influencers in the media.   

“Childline wants every young person to know that whatever they’re going through our trained counsellors are here to listen without judgment.

“No child should struggle alone with these feelings, and seeking help is always a sign of strength, not weakness.” 

Tips for parents  

  1. Model positive body talk: Be mindful of how you speak about your own body and others’ bodies in front of your children. Avoid negative comments about weight, appearance, or comparing yourself to others, as children often copy what they hear. 
  1. Focus conversations on health and wellbeing, not appearance: When discussing food and exercise, emphasise feeling strong, energetic, and healthy rather than looking a certain way. Celebrate what bodies can do rather than just how they look. 
  1. Take concerns seriously and listen without judgment: If your child expresses worries about their body or eating habits, avoid dismissing their feelings or saying, “you look fine.” Listen carefully and offer support, seeking professional help if needed. 
  1. Discuss what they see in the media: Help your child understand that images online and in media are often edited or unrealistic. Encourage critical thinking about what they see and limit exposure to content that promotes unrealistic beauty standards. 
  1. Watch for warning signs: Be alert to changes in your child’s eating habits, mood, exercise patterns, or social withdrawal. Early intervention is important, so don’t hesitate to seek professional support if you notice concerning behaviours around food or body image. Adults can contact our NSPCC Helpline with any concerns about a child. 

Tips for children and young people  

  1. Remember that social media isn’t real life: Photos and videos online are often edited, filtered, or show just one perfect moment. What you see doesn’t represent how people actually look or live every day. 
  1. Focus on what your body can do, not just how it looks: Your body is amazing at so many things like dancing, hugging friends, creating art, or playing sports. Try to appreciate all the incredible things it helps you accomplish. 
  1. Talk to someone you trust: If you’re feeling worried about your body or food, speak to a parent, teacher, school counsellor, or contact Childline. You don’t have to deal with these feelings alone. 
  1. Be kind to yourself: Try to speak to yourself the same way you would speak to a good friend. Would you tell a friend they look terrible? Practice being gentle and encouraging with yourself too. 
  1. Limit comparing yourself to others: Everyone’s body is different and that’s completely normal. Instead of comparing, try to celebrate what makes you unique and focus on being healthy and happy rather than looking like someone else. 

Young people can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or via 1-2-1 chat on www.childline.org.uk   

Adults with concerns about a child can contact the NSPCC Helpline by calling 0808 800 5000 or emailing help@NSPCC.org.uk. 

More children turn to Childline

  • Childline delivered more than 4,000 counselling sessions, including 273 in Scotland, to children and young people with worries around body image and eating disorders
  • 40% of these counselling sessions take place during the summer – June to September
  • Childline reminds children the service is here to support them during holidays

Childline, the counselling service run by the NSPCC, reveals new data showing that 40% of all the counselling sessions they delivered last year on eating disorders and body image took place in the summer months (June to September).

Across the whole year  – April 2022 to March 2023 –  Childline delivered 4,179 counselling sessions to  children struggling with  these issues. 273 of these were in Scotland.

1656 (40%) of those counselling sessions based on these topics took place from June to September , the lead up to and the duration of the six-week summer break.

Eating disorders and body image issues were the 6th most common concern for children contacting Childline in 2022/23 in Scotland.

During this year’s summer holiday, Childline knows that many children might be struggling to cope with these issues and wants to remind them that  their  trained counsellors and online services are here to support them.

Childline insight

Common themes that came out of Childline  counselling sessions on body image and eating disorders include:

  • Comparisons to friends, siblings, and people on social media
  • Guilt around eating particular “bad” foods or guilt about eating at all
  • Negative comments from family, friends, bullies, and partners about their weight and body often contributes to body image concerns
  • Weight worries linked to lockdown, gaining weight due to lockdown inactivity or stress
  • Not knowing how to manage weight or fitness without going to extremes
  • Cancelling plans due to body image issues

Childline knows that there are number of factors that make the summer holiday a particularly tricky time for children and young people struggling with their body image or their relationship with food.

For some, the prospect of wearing clothing which shows their body more can make them feel under pressure to look a certain way, that they need to lose weight or change their appearance.

For others, this pressure is also reinforced as many will be spending more time online during the summer months to keep in touch with their friends and to stay entertained. As a result, we know many children may be exposed to more content online that might make them feel negatively about the way they way look.

Additionally, children who struggle with eating disorders might find a change in their day-to-day routine and eating habits over the summer period difficult to cope with.

A girl in Scotland aged 16 who reached out to Childline said*: “How is Tiktok full of so many beautiful people and I look like this? I stare out at my face in the mirror and can only see what needs fixing. My lips, my nose, my eyes, my cheeks. Even my friends agree my nose is huge. Make up doesn’t do what surgery and fillers can do.”

A boy aged 13 told the service: “I feel so guilty every time I eat. I’ve been trying to be healthy and cut down on food, but it doesn’t seem to be helping. My older siblings are all so skinny, everyone says they’re so handsome and look like models, then there’s just me. It’s been upsetting me so much lately, thank you for letting me offload how I’m feeling.”

Support

Kieran Lyons, Service Head of Childline said: “Every year our trained counsellors speak to hundreds children in the run up to and during the summer holidays who are struggling with their body image or eating disorders.

“Summer can be a really a tough time for anyone who is already dealing with these issues, and it also can be a time which can make others who ordinarily felt happy with their body image begin to feel negatively.

“Regardless of your situation or your worries, Childline is here to ensure  that no child is  left to cope alone with any worry they have.

“If you are struggling with your body image or an eating disorder, we want you to know that Childline is here to help, and we can support you on what you can do and how to make things feel better.”

If there is a young person in your life struggling with their body image or an eating disorder here are some tips on how best to support them:

  • Remind them that how they look is part of who they are and that their personality, achievements and the way they behave is important too.
  • Images they may see on TV, in magazines, in social media or online are often altered and airbrushed so what they are seeing isn’t always real.
  • Remind them that everyone is different and not to compare themselves to anyone else. Accepting themselves is all about them noticing things they are happy and unhappy about and realise that is what makes them unique.
  • To help build their confidence encourage them to spend time focusing on a hobby they enjoy.
  • Also, it may help if they write down every morning a few things they like about themselves.

All children can speak to a trained counsellor over the phone on 0800 1111, via email or on a 121 chat on the Childline website.

Children can also visit the website to find more advice on any concerns or questions they may have on body image and eating disorders and they can also use the service’s monitored message boards to get support from their peers.

Letters: Body Image

Dear Editor,

For a lot of children and young people, body image is a great concern. Going through physical body changes and developments is challenging enough, yet with outside influences such as social media, young people can feel even more pressure to look a certain way to fit in.

Every summer, we are confronted by advertisements asking if we are ‘beach body ready’. Here at Childline, we have seen just how much these advertisements, messages and perceptions can affect the way in which young people view themselves.

Between April 2021 and March 2022, Childline delivered 5,085 counselling sessions on the topic of struggling with eating and body image in Scotland and across the rest of the UK – a 6% increase from 4,787 in 2019/20.

We believe one of the reasons that children and young people are feeling low about their appearance is the increasing amount of time they spend on social media, particularly since the pandemic. Some young people in Scotland have told Childline’s trained counsellors that they feel insecure and self-conscious about their weight after seeing images of others on social media platforms.

Here at Childline, we would like to remind all children that the service’s counsellors are here to support them and that they don’t have to cope alone.

They can contact our counsellors on 0800 1111 or online at www.childline.org.uk, where they can visit the ‘my body’ advice page and also speak to other young people who might be feeling the same away via moderated message boards.

Paul Johnson

Childline Team Manager, Aberdeen

Regulate non-surgical cosmetic procedures within a year to prevent exploitation, urge MPs

The Government must speed up the introduction of a promised licensing regime for non-surgical cosmetic procedures to prevent vulnerable people being exploited.

The Impact of body image on mental and physical health report identifies a rise in body image dissatisfaction as the driver behind a new market that to date has remained largely unregulated. The dangers posed by non-surgical cosmetic procedures in vulnerable groups were evident throughout the inquiry, say MPs.

The Government has new powers to introduce a licensing regime for non-surgical cosmetic procedures however a consultation on what that regime should look like is still awaited.

Legislation should require online commercial content to carry a logo to identify body images that have been digitally altered while the Government is urged to work with the industry and the ASA to discourage advertisers and influencers from doctoring their images.

The wide-ranging report also calls for a Government review of the growing use of anabolic steroids for cosmetic purposes and proposes a safety campaign for those at risk. Long-term use has been linked with cardiovascular disease and brain changes.

On obesity, MPs were disappointed by a Government decision to delay restrictions on buy-one-get-one-free deals and urge immediate action. The report also calls for further research on tackling obesity while eliminating weight stigma and discrimination.

Health and Social Care Committee Chair Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt said: “The government must act urgently to end the situation where anyone can carry out non-surgical cosmetic procedures, regardless of training or qualifications.

“We heard of some distressing experiences – a conveyor belt approach with procedures carried out with no questions asked, procedures that have gone wrong, the use of filthy premises.

“It was clear throughout our inquiry that some groups are particularly vulnerable to exploitation in this growing market that has gone largely unregulated. We need a timetable now for a licensing regime with patient safety at its centre to reduce those risks.

“We hope that ministers will listen to our recommendations and set about creating the safety standards that anyone seeking treatment has a right to expect.”

body-image-reportDownload

Edinburgh urged to share views on gender inequality and body image

The First Minister’s National Advisory Council on Women and Girls (NACWG) is calling on Edinburgh residents to join the #GenerationEqual movement and have their say in its latest discussion surrounding body image.

Increased societal pressures relating to ‘body image standards’ and the rise in use of social media has had a considerable impact on body image for many women and girls of all ages.

Discrimination, developing distorted perceptions and dealing with low self-esteem, often with associated mental health consequences, are just some of the issues stemming from body image. The Advisory Council would like to hear views on body image from people of all genders and those who don’t identify to help inform its findings and shape its recommendations to the First Minister.

The NACWG was formed to drive equality for women and girls in every community across Scotland by raising the issue of gender inequality. Focusing on a new Spotlight theme on a bi-monthly basis, the Advisory Council aims to bring people together and create discussion on many issues still faced by women and girls in Scotland today. The NACWG is putting a Spotlight on body image  until the end of October to explore the daily challenges and pressures of body image.

Louise Macdonald OBE, Co-Chair of the NACWG, said: “In today’s society women and girls still face huge pressures to look a certain way as they compare their appearance to others on social media, magazines and in advertisements. Poor self-confidence can be extremely damaging, and can lead to many women and girls struggling with their self-worth and place in society.

“The Advisory Council is inviting groups, organisations and networks in Edinburgh, to share their experiences, opinions and ideas around the body image Spotlight. Every bit of feedback will help advise the First Minister and drive action in creating long-lasting change for women and girls in Scotland.”

To participate in this national conversation groups, organisations and networks are encouraged to form a virtual Wee Circle to discuss these issues and share ideas on how it can be tackled. 

Feedback from these Wee Circle discussions, as well as individual feedback, can be submitted online at onescotland.org/NACWG. 

Alternatively, thoughts can be shared on social media using the hashtag #GenerationEqual.