80 per cent surveyed report body image is decreasing their mental health

A survey for the health and social care committee found that 80 per cent of people who took part agreed or strongly agreed that their perception of body image had a negative impact on their mental health.

On physical health, nearly two thirds agreed or strongly agreed there was a negative impact. MPs commissioned the survey to support their inquiry into the impact of body image on mental and physical health.

More than 1,500 people took part in the survey which also asked questions about body image and access to NHS services, public messaging around obesity and whether policy makers give enough attention to body image and negative health impacts.

Almost a third of those taking part had accessed or tried to access health services for issues relating to body image. Of those, sixty-four percent felt their experience was negative or strongly negative while fifty-five percent felt ‘stigmatised’ in using or attempting to use the services.

31 per cent of people who completed the survey said they had accessed, or tried to access, health services for issues relating to body image in the past.

Of these respondents, 64 per cent felt their experience of accessing services was either negative or strongly negative, with only 14 per cent saying their experience was positive or strongly positive.

55 per cent either agreed or strongly agreed with the statement ‘I felt stigmatised when I accessed, or tried to access, these services.’

When asked ‘Do you think the topic of body image and its related health impacts is receiving sufficient attention from national policymakers?’, 72 per cent answered No with 8 per cent answering Yes and the remaining 20 per cent Unsure.

The committee’s public survey was open for 2 weeks and had 1,544 responses.