Body image issues a ‘serious’ concern in pandemic

Young Victorians are suffering from major body image issues during the pandemic — with a massive spike in eating disorders. Here’s why.

A “serious” rise in young Victorians worried about their body image mirrors a national spike in body dissatisfaction escalated by the pandemic.

More than 1200 Victorians have called Australia’s leading eating disorders charity the Butterfly Foundation’s national helpline in the past two months, making Victoria the state needing the most support second only to NSW.

3099 Victorians have called the helpline this year, up from 2205 between July and December 2019 just before the virus outbreak.

Nationally, demand surged 200 per cent in the first quarter of 2021.

Raquel Ramirez, 26, has suffered from body dysmorphia since she was 14 years old. Picture: Tim Carrafa.

Butterfly Foundation chief executive Kevin Barrow said body image issues were a “serious problem” escalated by COVID-19 that lead to depression, social anxiety and eating disorders.

“Heightened levels of stress and anxiety resulting from COVID-19 have placed our young people at a significant risk of body dissatisfaction,” Mr Barrow said.

The helpline has responded to 10,286 calls from Victorians since the start of the pandemic, more than half of calls from people aged 18-29.

The foundation’s education services manager Helen Bird said young people were shaped by what is said to them and the images they see in the media.

“Our society shapes us in many ways and promotes the idea that a perfect body is guaranteed to receive a passport to popularity, success, and self-confidence,” Ms Bird said.

Raquel Ramirez now thrives as a personal trainer who loves powerlifting. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Doreen personal trainer Raquel Ramirez, 26, said her battle with body dysmorphia began at 14 years old when she started to obsess over “skinny and attractive” girls in magazines.

Ms Ramirez said the lockdowns had confronted her with old, damaging habits caused by the disorder she worked to overcome for more than a decade through exercising and powerlifting.

“It kind of brought out all these past emotions of body dysmorphia and binge eating which I really struggled with as a young adult,” Ms Ramirez said.

“It brought all of that out, as well as losing what I had been building and how I was progressing (with training).”

Mr Barrow cautioned young people against the damages caused by social media on people’s body image.

But, Ms Ramirez said it helped her find relatable representation that made her comfortable in her own skin.

Contact the Butterfly National Helpline for support on 1800 33 4673.

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