Body Image Persuasive Speech

Good Evening/Morning,
My name is Lachlan Wesener and I’m here to talk about the issues surrounding Body Image and the effects it has on the well-being of young people. So, what is Body Image? Body Image is how you perceive yourself—your perceptions and feelings about your own figure. This may include your height, shape, or weight. Regardless of who you are, body image affects almost everyone from time to time, however teenagers and young adolescents are affected by it the most. Young adolescents having a negative body image experience emotional distress, low self-esteem, unhealthy dieting habits, anxiety, depression etc. It is about time the media and the community takes responsibility for the detrimental effects caused by unrealistic body
Unhealthy adolescent body image is directly linked to low self-esteem. Low self-esteem and body image are major factors for the development of mental health disorders like depression and anxiety as well as the development of eating disorders. “In 2015, the top three issues of concern for young people were coping with stress, school or study problems and body image.” 1 in 16 Australian adolescents are currently experiencing depression; 1 in 6 are currently experiencing an anxiety condition and 1 in 4 currently have a mental health concern. Eating disorders are characterised by compulsive thoughts about food and body weight. According to https://healthyfamilies.beyondblue.org.au, “An eating disorder affects many parts of a person’s life – their physical health, the way they eat, how they look, feel, behave and interact with others.” There are four types of eating disorders: Anorexia nervosa, Bulimia nervosa, Binge eating disorder and other specified feeding and eating disorders (OSFED). According to https://www.dosomething.org, “95% of people with eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25” but only 10% of them will seek professional help. Body image plays a significant part in social anxiety, the fear of judgment based on one’s