BODY IMAGE ISSUES: TEENAGE GIRLS? FORUM ON WEIGHT LOSS



There was a time when society considered voluptuous or slightly plump women as very attractive. As time has passed, the standards of what is beautiful have drastically changed. Society, nowadays, have put more pressure on people, especially women and teenage girls, to be as thin as possible. Being on the heavy side is considered unsightly, while being thin and slender is thought of as attractive.

A lot of teenage girls are afraid of gaining the slightest weight. And if they are already overweight, they are very much insecure. Most of them go online and ask help on girls? forums. This is where they discuss their issues about their bodies and how to look better than they are now.

In a girls? forum, one can find different kinds of diets and exercise regimes for losing weight. One popular diet plan for weight loss is the Atkins diet. This diet consists of a low-carbohydrate, high-fat and high-protein food plan. However, to this day, much controversy exists regarding the safety and efficacy of the diet. Studies have been made to determine if eating a low carbohydrate diet for a long time can have negative effects on one's health. When these topics are discussed in girls? forums, it can be quite risky as anyone can post anything on the threads, without actually knowing if the information posted there are accurate and factual.

Exercise regimes are also talked about in these girls? forums. Mostly, these girls want to know how to shed off pounds. However, some of them are concerned with the way their bodies look, even if they are not overweight. They either want an almost perfect figure, smaller thighs or a flatter abdomen. Their peers would then post suggestions or what they know to work for themselves or for people they know. But what some of these girls may not know is that, everybody is different. It is important to know that a specific exercise is safe for an individual and that there are no other medical conditions that will put that individual at risk.

Being overweight has become a source of insecurity, shame and withdrawal. So girls seek help from their peers in girls? forums, because here they can remain anonymous. The questions are also being answered by their peers. But, what can work for one may not have the same effects on another girl. It can be risky to follow some suggestions found in the threads, especially if these suggestions don't have a scientific background. One must be careful and be diligent enough to research more before following a certain diet or exercise regimen.

Administrators of girls? forums can also regulate the content of the threads or posts. This can help educate the teenage girls more regarding their body issues. Instead of getting myths or inaccurate practices on how to look better, the girls that go on to these forums can get factual and safe ideas on how to improve themselves. Having the right information will help teenage girls avoid suffering from eating disorders, like anorexia and bulimia, which are now very common medical conditions among the young generation.