What do we mean by "Endangered"?

“Body beautiful and the goal of perfectability have been democratised. Invitingly set out as available to everyone in any country whatever their economic situation, the right body is trumpeted as a way of belonging in our world today.… it is only because it is now so ordinary to be distressed about our bodies or body parts that we dismiss the gravity of body problems, which constitute a hidden public health emergency – showing up only obliquely in the statistics on self-harm, obesity and anorexia – the most visible and obvious signs of a far wider-ranging body dis-ease.” (from Bodies)

Grazia magazine questioned 5,000 women in over 20 cities throughout the United Kingdom.

The results show the extent of the 'body hatred' epidemic amongst women. This affects everyone and endangers ourselves and the next generation.

Endangered bodies here and now:

The survey shows the average British woman worries about the size and shape of her body EVERY 15 MINUTES - more than men think about sex (every 20 minutes).

Only a tiny 2% of women in the UK are 'happy with their body and more than seven out of 10 women think 'their whole life would improve GREATLY if they had a good body' (71%).

Almost a THIRD of British women say they 'constantly worry about their body - every waking minute' (29%).

They put their whole body under the microscope and are dissatisfied with every part of it - 87% hate their 'podgy thighs', 79% are unhappy with their 'waist', 65% are disappointed with 'the size and shape of their boobs', the same number are 'unhappy with their feet' (65%), 59% are 'unhappy with their face', 59% are disappointed with their 'hands/fingers', 57% are 'unhappy with their teeth', 56% say their hair is 'thinnish', 62% dislike their 'neck', 63% say their 'arms are chunky', 64% say their 'legs are chunky' and HALF say they've got 'Muffin tops' (51%) - podgy roll(s) sticking out over the top of their waistband.

The only part of their body British women seem reasonably pleased with is their 'slimmish ankles' (54%).

They will try ANYTHING to lose weight. Incredibly, more than a THIRD of British women have used 'slimming pills' of one kind or another (34%) and 20% have taken 'laxatives'. A THIRD have tried 'fasting' (31%), 37% 'exercise excessively' to lose weight and SIX out of 10 women 'skip meals' (56%). SEVEN out of 10 women are so diet savvy they can 'look at a plate of food and say how many calories there are on it' (66%).

Of course this is not unique to the UK. The problem of body hatred is felt keenly around the world.

 "Body hatred is becoming one of the West’s hidden exports.”