About us

Central YMCA and the APPG on Body Image are leading a national umbrella campaign to prevent negative body image and promote healthier attitudes to our bodies.

Why are we doing this?

According to the APPG Inquiry into Body Image:

• By the age of 14 half of girls and one third of boys have been on a diet to change their shape

• One in three men would sacrifice a year of life to achieve their ideal body

• Getting rid of dieting could wipe out 70% of eating disorders

• Up to one in five cosmetic surgery patients could suffer from Body Dysmorphic Disorder

• Appearance is the largest cause of bullying in schools

These are just some of the symptoms of a society in which people aren’t at ease with themselves or their bodies. Negative body image is now the biggest single worry for millions of children and young people and we believe society must act now to change behaviour and attitudes for future generations. This issue of body image dissatisfaction has many causes, although it is clear from our recent body image Inquiry that the public believe the media, advertising and celebrity culture together account for almost three quarters of the influence on body image in society.

We believe that it is socially responsible for advertisers and media to authentically reflect the population as a whole and we will be campaigning for this as a matter of public interest, as well as on other issues raised in the report. We will be recruiting socially responsible businesses as partners for the campaign once it has been developed further.

Together we will be launching a campaign later this year, but we want to build a movement for change people who can share information, find help and support and form a powerful lobby for change. Ultimately we hope this website will be the official gateway for all things related to body image – from education to resources, for the public and for interested individuals such as those working in healthcare or education.