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Children and their Body Image

June 10, 2002

The development of a Children's Body Image Scale (CBIS) may help in the early identification of dissatisfaction with body size in pre-pubescent children. These research findings are published today, 21st June 2002, in the British Journal of Clinical Psychology by Dr Helen Truby, School of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Surrey and Dr Susan Paxton, University of Melbourne.

The study supports previous research indicating that body size dissatisfaction is frequent even in pre-pubescent children. Dr Truby and Dr Paxton suggest that further research is required to identify how such dissatisfaction may be prevented from developing into more severe body image and eating disorder problems in adolescents and adults.

The researchers studied three hundred and twelve children between the ages of seven and twelve. A Body Mass Index (BMI) measure was taken for each of the children and they were then photographed. This allowed the researchers to identify the range of body sizes. From these photographs, a series of seven 'body figures' were generated, one set each for girls and boys, to represent the range of BMIs'.

The children were then asked to identify which 'body figure' was most like their own (perceived figure) and which one they would most like to have (ideal figure). The difference between the 'ideal' and 'perceived' ratings was then used as a measure of dissatisfaction with body size.

The CBIS proved to be a good measure of body size dissatisfaction in boys and girls. It also confirmed that body size dissatisfaction was present in children, particularly girls. The researchers identified a number of difference between girls and boys in areas such as; body size perception and awareness of body size issues.

British Psychological Society (BPS)