健康的自我身体认知——如何引导您的女儿（家长必读）

译者 ediver

Girls today face significant pressure to be physically attractive and have a perfect body. As a result, many girls feel dissatisfied with their bodies and are at higher risk of developing mental health problems. There are steps you can take, however, to encourage your daughter to love her body, regardless of its shape or size. Find out what you can do to help girls develop and maintain a healthy body image.

现代社会的女孩面临多重压力，要体形迷人，身材完美。结果，很多女孩对自己的身体感到不满意，并可能因此进一步引发精神健康问题。不过，您可以采取一些措施，鼓励您女儿不论身体形状胖瘦如何，都可以去爱自己。看看您能如何帮助您女儿树立并保持健康的自我身体认知。

Causes of a negative body image

负面身体认知的成因

Maintaining a healthy body image during adolescence is often difficult for girls. Factors that may harm a girl's body image include:

对很多女孩来说，要在青春期保持健康的自我身体认知并不容易。有多种因素会损害一个女孩对于自己身体的看法，其中包括：

Having a mother who's overly concerned about her own weight or her daughter's weight or appearance

有一个对她自己的体重或者对她女儿的体重或外表过于关注的母亲

Natural weight gain and other changes caused by puberty

发育期所带来的体重自然增加以及其它变化

Peer pressure to look a certain way

来自同龄人的有关外表一定要如何的压力

Media images that promote the ideal female body as thin

媒体对于女性身材以瘦为美的渲染

Being teased about her weight

因为体重受人笑话

Consequences of a negative body image

负面身体认知的影响

If your daughter doesn't feel she lives up to the ideal body image promoted by friends, family and the media, she may begin to feel inadequate and ashamed of her body — even if she's not overweight. Girls who feel dissatisfied with their bodies are at higher risk of developing mental health problems, including:

如果您女儿觉得她的身体形象达不到朋友、家庭以及媒体所宣扬的理想标准，她可能会感觉自卑，以自己的身体为耻，即使她并没有超重。对自己身体感到不满的女孩很容易出现精神健康问题，包括：

Low self-esteem

缺乏自尊

Depression

抑郁

Eating disorders

饮食失调

Having a negative body image also may lead to skipping meals or a cycle of dieting, losing weight and regaining weight — which can further harm self-esteem. A negative body image may even result in a desire for cosmetic surgery. Some research suggests a link between body dissatisfaction among girls and cigarette smoking, possibly because girls may believe that smoking will help them control their weight. Having a negative body image also may affect a girl's comfort with her sexuality as she grows.

对于身体的负面认知还可能导致一个女孩不吃饭或者进入节食、减重然后再增重的循环——这又会进一步伤害一个人的自尊心。对于身体的负面认知甚至会让人想做整容手术。一些研究显示，女孩对自己的身体不满跟吸烟也有关联，这可能是因为她们觉得，吸烟有助于控制体重。负面的身体认知还会让一些女孩长大以后，对自己的性征感觉不安。

Talking about body image

讨论自我身体认知

Talking about body image with your daughter can help her become comfortable with her body shape and relate to food in a healthy way. When you discuss body image, you might:

跟您女儿就自我身体认知进行探讨，可以帮助她对自己的身体形状感到自在，也能帮助她对食物保持健康的兴趣。在讨论身体认知时，您可以：

Explain the effects of puberty and genetics. Make sure your daughter understands that weight gain is a normal part of her development, especially during puberty. Explain that body shape also is largely influenced by genetic factors.

解释发育期和基因的影响。让您女儿明白，体重增加是成长过程的一个自然组成部分，尤其是在发育期间。另外，身体形状在很大程度上也跟基因遗传有关。

Discuss media messages. Television programs, movies, music videos, Web sites, magazines and even some children's toys may send your daughter the message that only a certain body type is acceptable. Check out what your daughter is reading or watching and discuss it with her. Encourage her to talk about and question what she's seen or heard.

讨论媒体信息。电视节目、电影、音乐电视、互联网、杂志甚至一些小孩玩具都可能给您女儿灌输一个信息，就是只有一种身材是可以接受的。观察一下您女儿在读些什么，看些什么，然后跟她讨论，鼓励她对于看到或听到的信息发表意见，提出质疑。

Discuss self-image. Talk to your daughter about her self-image and offer reassurance that healthy body shapes vary. Ask her what she likes about herself and explain what you like about her, too. Your acceptance and respect can help her build self-esteem and resilience.

讨论自我形象认知。跟您女儿探讨她对自我形象的看法，让她明白健康的身体可以表现为不同的形状。问问她喜欢自己哪些地方，再说说您喜欢她哪些地方。您对她的认可和尊重会帮助她树立自尊心，增强适应性。

Use positive language. Rather than talking about "fat" and "thin," encourage your daughter to focus on maintaining a healthy weight by eating right and staying active. Encourage family and friends to refrain from using hurtful nicknames and joking about people who are overweight or have a large body frame.

使用正面语言。鼓励您女儿通过适当的饮食和运动来保持健康的体重，而不要把焦点仅仅限于对“胖”“瘦”的讨论上。劝导家人和朋友不要给超重或者骨架比较大的人起不礼貌的外号或者拿他们开玩笑。

Make sure your daughter knows that she can always come to you with questions or concerns about her body or self-image.

让您女儿明白，如果她对自己的身体或自我形象有任何问题或疑虑，都可以随时来找您谈话。

Other strategies

其它策略

In addition to talking to your daughter, consider other strategies to promote a healthy body image:

除了跟您女儿交谈外，您还可以采取一些其它策略来倡导健康的自我身体认知：

Team up with your family doctor. Your family doctor can help your daughter set realistic goals for body mass index and weight based on her personal weight history and overall health. The doctor can also help identify early indicators of an eating disorder by asking questions about your daughter's eating habits and satisfaction with her appearance during routine medical appointments.

跟您的家庭医生配合。您的家庭医生可以根据您女儿过去的体重情况和总体健康状况，帮助您女儿设定现实的体重指数和体重目标。您的家庭医生还可以在定期检查时，询问您女儿的饮食习惯以及她对自己外表的满意程度，从而尽早发现任何可能存在的饮食失调。

Help establish healthy-eating habits. Offer healthy meals and snacks, but be careful to let your daughter make choices about the food she eats.

帮助您女儿培养健康的饮食习惯。为她准备健康的正餐和零食，不过您要学习让您女儿自己选择她要吃的食物。

Counter negative media messages. You may not be able to shield your daughter from media images that promote an idealized image of women's bodies. You can, however, show her books, articles and movies about women who are famous for their achievements — not their appearance. For example, consider giving your daughter a subscription to a news magazine instead of a fashion magazine.

纠正负面的媒体信息。您可能没有办法不让您女儿看到媒体上宣传的所谓理想女性身材的图片，但是您可以让您女儿看一些因成就而非外表著名的女性书籍、文章和电影。举个例子，您可以考虑不给您女儿订时尚杂志，而为她订一份新闻刊物。

Encourage a positive school environment. Support school policies that aim to stop size and sexual discrimination, harassment, teasing and name-calling.

鼓励正面的学校环境。支持学校为了消除身材和性别歧视、骚扰、戏弄和取外号等而制订的政策。

Praise achievements. Help your daughter value what she does, rather than what she looks like. Look for opportunities to praise her efforts, skills and achievements.

表彰成绩。帮助您女儿学会重视她的所做所为，而不是她的相貌如何，寻找机会表扬她的付出、技巧和成就。

Encourage physical activity. Participating in sports and other physical activities can help promote good self-esteem and a positive body image. Consider encouraging activities that don't emphasize the importance of weight or value leanness.

鼓励体育活动。参加体育和其它运动有助于提升自尊，培养正面的身体认知。鼓励您女儿多参与那些不强调体重如何重要或者更重视学习过程的活动。

Set a good example. Explain to your daughter that you eat a healthy diet and exercise for your health — not just to look a certain way. Also, think about what you read and watch as well as the products you buy and the lessons your choices send.

以身作则。告诉您女儿，您自己的饮食和运动都是为了保持健康，而不是为了一定要看上去如何。仔细反省您自己都读些什么，看些什么，买些什么，以及您的这些选择会给您女儿传递什么讯息。

When to see a doctor

什么时候需要看医生

Developing and maintaining a healthy body image isn't an easy task for girls. If your daughter is struggling with a negative body image, consider professional counseling. Additional support may give your daughter the tools she needs to counter social pressure and feel good about her body.

对女孩子来说，要树立并保持健康的自我身体认知并非易事。如果您女儿因为对自己身体的负面认知而有心理负担，您可以考虑进行专家咨询。这样的外来帮助也许可以为您女儿提供一些办法，以应对社会压力，并对自己的身体感到自在。