Government Youth Report Missing a Piece of the Puzzle

Government Youth Report Missing a Piece of the Puzzle
Body Dissatisfaction Not Included, Despite Evidence of Problem

The Eating Difficulties Education Network (EDEN) welcomes the Government youth report Improving the Transition: Reducing Social and Psychological Morbidity During Adolescence. However, EDEN holds some serious concerns about a missing piece of the puzzle – body dissatisfaction.

EDEN Manager, Deb Schwarz says, “Body dissatisfaction is a significant issue in New Zealand, with high body dissatisfaction amongst New Zealand young people and strong evidence of links between negative body image and a range of poor health outcomes. We are disappointed to see that this important determinant has been excluded from this 300 page report”.

In the Youth 2007 survey of New Zealand secondary school students two thirds of female students had tried to lose weight in the last 12 months and about 71.1% were worried about gaining weight. In the 2007 Victoria University Youth Connectedness Survey: 1 in 5 young people aged 11- 16 were unhappy or very unhappy with their weight.

Bullying was discussed in the report and there is a reference to the increased risk of bullying victimisation of young people who fit into the BMI category of ‘obese’. The Youth 2007 survey noted that appearance and sexuality were what victims most often reported being bullied about. Female students (33%) were also much more likely to have been teased about their weight.

The Ministry of Youth Development notes there are important health improvements that come from positive body image. These include; increased self-confidence and self-esteem, reduced stress and illness, and the links for young women between positive body image and fewer risk-taking health behaviours.

EDEN believes it is vital that New Zealand follows the lead of both Australia and the United Kingdom and invest in programmes which promote positive body image in young people as an integral part of supporting youth health and development.

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References

Adolescent Health Research Group (2008). Youth’07: The Health and Wellbeing of Secondary School Students in New Zealand. Initial Findings. Auckland: The University of Auckland.

Roy McKenzie Centre for the Study of Families (2007) Youth Connectedness Project. Victoria University of Wellington with the New Zealand Council for Educational Research

Clark, T.C., Robinson, E., Crengle, S., Grant, S., Galbreath, R.A. & Sykora, J. (2009). Youth’07: The Health and Wellbeing of Secondary School Students in New Zealand. Findings on Young People and Violence. Auckland: The University of Auckland.

Ministry of Youth Development. Youth Statistics: A Statistical Profile of Young People in New Zealand – Body Image. Accessed http://www.youthstats.myd.govt.nz/indicator/happy-and-confident/body-image/index.html, 2.6.2011

ENDS

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