Almost 4% of Australians are experiencing some time of body disorder or problem with the body image. 

For young people body dissatisfaction is their biggest concern (Mission Australia, 2011). 

So what is body image? Body image is the perception that a person has of their physical self and the thoughts and feelings that result from that perception.

The Butterfly Foundation  

The Butterfly Foundation offers a heap of services and programs that provide support, treatment, prevention, early intervention, education and training for people with eating disorders.

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Call 1800 33 4673 from 8am to 12am AEST, 7 days a week (except national public holidays).  

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Types of Eating Disorders

Anorexia Nervosa 

• Restricted energy intake. A person with Anorexia is unable to maintain what is considered to be a normal and healthy weight.  
• A fear of gaining weight 
• Disturbed body image. When someone has Anorexia the amount of attention they place on their body image can be enormous. The person’s self worth can become entirely defined by the way they think they look. 

Bulimia Nervosa 

• Characterised by repeated episodes of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviours.  
• Behaviours include: Vomiting • Misusing laxatives or diuretics • Fasting • Excessive exercise • Use of any drugs, illicit, prescription and/or ‘over the counter’ inappropriately for weight control

Binge Eating

• Eating a very large amount of food within a relatively short period of time (e.g. within two hours) 

• Feeling a sense of loss of control while eating (e.g. feeling unable to stop yourself from eating

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Tips for Improving Your Body Image 

• Focusing on what you love about yourself can help you accept and appreciate your whole self 
• Say positive things to yourself every day
• Try a kick negative self talk to the curb 
• Focus on appreciating and respecting what your body can do will help you to feel more positively about it 
• Setting positive, health focused goals rather than weight loss related ones is more beneficial for your overall wellbeing 
• Remember, many media images are unrealistic and represent a minority of the population 

Read more at The Butterfly Foundation