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Six out of ten girls have tried extreme or unhealthy diets

In a society dominated by appearances, filters, and unrealistic ideals, teenage girls increasingly feel a constant pressure to conform to artificially imposed standards. According to a survey conducted by World Vision Romania among adolescent girls:

  • Over 66% of girls feel judged for the way they dress;
  • 47% of teenage girls feel pressured to look perfect because of social media;
  • Six out of ten girls have tried extreme or unhealthy diets at least once to lose or gain weight;
  • 53% of them have avoided social activities due to insecurity about their physical appearance;
  • 92% want schools to organise discussions about body image and online social pressures.
  • Every day, women of all ages are confronted online with messages that can undermine their self-confidence – from derogatory comments and unrealistic beauty standards to opinions about how they should behave or live. To support young women, World Vision Romania organized a live webinar titled “Toxic Content About Women on Social Media”, in partnership with Girl Up Romania and In a Relationship.

Image by Joseph Mucira from Pixabay

Stereotypes and teenagers

Stereotypes perpetuate a distorted image of women, contributing to reduced self-confidence, limited professional and social aspirations, and discrimination in various social or educational contexts.

“I’ve noticed more and more that teachers label girls as ‘more sensitive’ than boys. Just today, a teacher claimed that boys are smarter than girls,” shared one of the webinar viewers.

“I often wear more boyish or loose clothes, and some people mistake me for a boy from behind and ask why I dress like that or if I’m hiding my body. I tell them that’s just how I like to dress,” a young woman shared.

“The online world is a vast space, full of opportunities but also traps. In this sea of content generated every second, it is increasingly difficult for young people to distinguish between what is healthy and what is harmful. It is essential to create spaces for authentic dialogue where we can talk about prejudice, discrimination, and social pressures. Only in this way can we strengthen critical thinking and self-confidence in teenagers,” said Silvia Ciubotaru, psychotherapist.

Consequences of appearance-related pressure and criticism on Girls

Due to body image insecurities, six out of ten teenage girls have tried extreme or unhealthy diets at least once in their lives to either lose or gain weight. On social media, physical appearance is heavily emphasized, and the pressure to conform to a certain standard is even more intense among children and teenagers.

Another consequence of this wave of pressure related to girls’ body image is social isolation. More than half of them have declined participation in certain social activities because they felt “insecure about their physical appearance,” according to over 52% of the teenage respondents in the World Vision survey.

“Without a clear mental framework of ethical values and reference points for a balanced life, the mental health of the younger generation will be profoundly influenced by the disinformation and divisive trends present in the virtual spaces where they spend most of their social and free time,” explained Silvia Ciubotaru, psychologist & psychotherapist, coordinator of In a Relationship, during the webinar.

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