Teen girls experience body shame twice as much as boys


A new online survey conducted by Yahoo Health revealed that the majority of teenage girls are unhappy with their appearance and have low body image. Of the girls surveyed, 94 percent said they are ashamed of their bodies. On the other hand, just 64 percent of teenage boys are ashamed of their appearance. "One in seven Americans consider their bodies positively, but males are much more likely to have a positive body image than females," the survey revealed. Based on the study, women feel most positive about their body image between the ages of 35 and 54, but only 13 percent of women in that age group are satisfied with their appearance.

In comparison, teenage boys are three and a half times more likely to have a positive body image than females in the same age group. Psychologist and body image expert Sari Shepphird told Yahoo Health that, while there are different reasons to attest for the problem, most are attributable to culture. "The risk that a woman will suffer from body negativity continues throughout her lifespan and remains a constant risk," she said, adding that "within our culture, it's now fair game to comment on a woman's weight, regardless of her age." The main factors that have a positive effect on a woman's self-image are relationships, children and career, which give women a sense of fulfillment. "Middle age is often the first time they become aware of how their bodies don't measure up," Shepphird concluded.