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Of ASU students surveyed:
If you or someone you know stuggle with body image or eating concerns, ASU Counseling Services is available to help.
Sources: American College Health Association. American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment: Arizona State University Spring 2019. Baltimore: American College Health Association; Spring 2019 (n=2,096).
Body image is one’s personal perception about body shape, size, weight, and appearance. Vision, thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations are components of body image. Individuals may feel accepting or dissatisfied with their body image.
Body acceptance is having a favorable opinion of one’s body image. Feeling pleased, comfortable, confident, and proud are some of the characteristics of body acceptance. Individuals with body acceptance have a greater likelihood to take care of their bodies and experience high self-esteem.
Body dissatisfaction is having an unfavorable opinion of one’s body image. Feeling disappointed, disgusted, uncomfortable, and self-conscious are some of the characteristics of body dissatisfaction. Individuals with body dissatisfaction have a greater likelihood to become preoccupied with food, weight, and appearance and experience low self-esteem.
Throughout the lifespan, body image is influenced by individual and environmental factors. Individual factors include how one views, thinks, feels, and senses their body shape, size, appearance, and weight. Environmental factors include:
Improving body image is a process that involves increasing awareness of and responding to environmental body image influencers while changing individual perception, feelings, thoughts, and behavior. To focus more on health and less on appearance and weight, practice healthy eating, active living, self-acceptance, respect, and appreciation for size diversity.
Eating disorders are extreme expressions of food, weight, and appearance issues that:
Eating disorders are serious, even life-threatening, conditions that require professional help. Early diagnosis and intervention may enhance recovery. Treatment for an eating disorder may include:
Source: Body Image. Accessed December 14, 2021.
The National Eating Disorders Association offers free online screening for eating disorders for college students.
If you have concerns about your relationship with food, help is available at ASU Counseling Services.
Check the ASU Calendar for information on upcoming events with a body positive focus.