Sport, dance and body image

Research:

While lots of women and girls involved in sport and dance have healthy attitudes to food and weight, research suggests there is an increased risk of negative body image and disordered eating in sports that emphasize thinness or muscularity. Here are some sample findings from the existing research on this topic:

• Many retired gymnasts report enduring preoccupation with weight and shape and experience negative influences on their body image during their careers as gymnasts including daily weigh-ins, monthly “fat tests” and punishment if they were deemed ‘overweight’ by their coaches (Kerr & Dacyshyn, 2000).
• In a research project about disordered eating practices in women’s gymnastics, athletes, coaches, parents and judges all recommended further education about nutrition, adolescent development, body image, and psychological well-being (Kerr, Bermann & De Souza, 2005).
• In a study of 29 female ballet dancers, 83% met the criteria of an eating disorder (Ringham et al., 2006).
• Non-professional performers of sports emphasising thinness or muscularity, such as ballet and body-building, show a high degree of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating (Ravaladi et al, 2003).

Resources:

The Olympic website, the Female Athlete Triad Coalition and Body Sense are wonderful resources for people who are interested in or concerned about body image issues in sport.

www.olympic.org/hbi

http://www.bodysense.ca/en/home

Tell us more:

If you are an athlete, dancer or coach, what can you do to change an environment that promotes negative body image and disordered eating? Are you involved in a sports club or organization that promotes positive body image? Email roanna.mitchell@any-body.org



Are you a teacher or youth worker?

Why not involve young people in the discussion about how to challenge the existing visual culture?

• Have a class discussion or debate about how girls and women are represented in the media
• Organize an essay or poster competition on the theme of real beauty
• Set an assignment or challenge for the group to find positive and diverse representations of beauty
• Ask young people for their feedback on how to engage government officials, educational institutions, multi-national corporations, the fashion industry and the mainstream media to join us in creating a new visual culture

Examples of how young people are already calling for change!     

August 2010: Girlguiding UK are demanding compulsory labels on airbrushed images

March 2010: Dail na nOg (the Irish youth parliament) called the Irish government to enforce a law 

Do you know of any other youth organizations who have taken similar steps? Do you have any other suggestions for how to involve young people in the campaign?  Have you tried any of the activities above with a class or youth group? Have you got any ideas for a way your youth group/class could contribute to the Endangered Species Summit? Please email roanna.mitchell@any-body.org