A healthy body image means you feel comfortable in your body and you feel good about the way you look. This includes what you think and feel about your appearance and how you judge your own self-worth. A negative body image can put you at higher risk of certain mental health conditions, such as eating disorders and depression.
Your body image is what you think and how you feel when you look in the mirror or when you picture yourself in your mind. This includes:
How you feel about your appearance
What you think about your body itself, such as your height and weight
How you feel within your own skin
Body image also includes how you behave as a result of your thoughts and feelings. You may have a positive or negative body image. Body image is not always related to your weight or size.
Why a positive body image is important
People who have a positive body image are more likely to have good physical and mental health. Those who have negative thoughts and feelings about their bodies are more likely to develop certain mental health conditions, such as eating disorders and depression. Researchers think that dissatisfaction with their bodies may be part of the reason more women than men have depression.
A negative body image may also lead to low self-esteem, which can affect many areas of your life. You may not want to be around other people or may obsess constantly about what you eat or how much you exercise. But you can take steps to develop a healthier body image.
What causes a negative body image?
Past events and circumstances can cause you to have a negative body image, including:
Being teased or bullied for how you looked
Being told you’re ugly, too fat or too thin or having other aspects of your appearance criticized
Seeing images or messages in the media (including social media) that make you feel bad about how you look
Being underweight, overweight or obese
In rare cases, people can have such a distorted view of their bodies that they have a mental health condition called body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). BDD is a serious illness in which a person is preoccupied with minor or imaginary physical flaws.
How to have a healthy body image
Research shows that if you are overweight, your body image may improve if you participate in a weight loss program, even if you don't lose as much weight as you hoped, be sure the weight loss program includes a focus on healthy eating and physical activity.
If you are underweight and have a negative body image, you can work with a doctor or nurse to gain weight in a healthy way and treat any other health problems you have. If you are eating healthily and getting enough exercise, your weight may matter less in your body image.
The more you practice thinking positive thoughts about yourself and the fewer negative thoughts you have about your body, the better you will feel about who you are and how you look.
While very few people are 100% positive about every aspect of their body, it can help to focus on the things you do like. Also, most people realize as they get older that how you look is only one part of who you are. Working on accepting how you look is healthier than constantly working to change how you look.
Source: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
