Education project
Simple ideas to support younger people
Current context
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Body image among children in Romania, Italy, and Europe as a whole has become an increasingly important topic due to growing concerns around mental health, media influence, and cultural expectations.
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Romanian children, particularly adolescents, are increasingly exposed to Western beauty standards via social media, TV, and advertising.
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In Romania, urban youth tend to experience more body dissatisfaction due to media exposure, while rural children may experience it through peer influence or school environments.
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Italian culture places a strong emphasis on appearance, fashion, and body aesthetics, which can intensify body image concerns among children.
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Girls in Italy are particularly affected, with high rates of body dissatisfaction and a growing number of reported eating disorders among teenagers.
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Italian media, especially television and Instagram influencers, often promote unrealistic body ideals.
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As a general trend, body dissatisfaction affects a significant percentage of children and adolescents across Europe.
Numbers and facts
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According to the WHO, over 40% of 11- to 15-year-olds in Europe report being unhappy with their body.
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Girls are more likely to experience body image dissatisfaction, while boys may also suffer but tend to express it through different concerns (e.g., muscularity).
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Media & social media: Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube have greatly influenced children's perception of the "ideal body," fueling comparison and self-criticism.
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Mental health link: Poor body image is closely tied to low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety.
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Romania has one of the highest rates of child obesity in Eastern Europe, which paradoxically coexists with a rise in eating disorders and body dissatisfaction, especially among teenage girls.
Statistics sources:
Romania:
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Childhood Obesity Prevalence: According to the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI), Romania reported a national sample of 4,055 eight-year-old children between 2018 and 2020. The data indicates a concerning trend in childhood obesity, highlighting the need for targeted public health interventions. Obesity Observatory
Italy:
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Childhood Obesity Rates: The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that in 2021, 20.4% of children in Italy were overweight, with 9.4% considered obese. These figures underscore the ongoing challenge of childhood obesity in the country. World Health Organization
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Gender and Regional Disparities: The Italian Barometer Obesity Report highlighted that 23.2% of female children and adolescents were overweight, compared to 29.2% of their male peers. Additionally, regional differences were noted, with 31.9% of youths in southern Italy being overweight, compared to 18.9% in the northwest. ANSA.it+1ANSA.it+1
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Eating Disorders: The Union of Sardinia reported a rise in eating disorders among Italian children, with the onset age decreasing to as early as 12. Conditions like anorexia and bulimia are becoming more prevalent, affecting both boys and girls. L'Unione Sarda.it
Europe:
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Body Image Concerns: A report by Teen Vogue, based on a WHO survey of 220,000 teens aged 11 to 15 from 42 European and North American countries, revealed that 43% of 15-year-old girls felt they were too fat. This statistic reflects broader body image issues among adolescents across Europe. Teen Vogue
Consequences on the mental level and lifestyle
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Lack of confidence
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Anxiety
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Depression
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Lower self-esteem
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Struggles with self-expression
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Disinterest in personal grooming
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Unawareness of cultural differences in style
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Difficulty in social situations
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Limited understanding of professional presentation
Current actions
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The EU and WHO Europe are promoting school-based mental health programs, with body image and self-esteem components.
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Countries like France, Norway, and the UK have laws or campaigns to label retouched images or restrict unhealthy portrayals in media.
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School programs in Romania: there is limited but growing inclusion of body image education in health and civics classes.
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Some Italian schools and NGOs now run media literacy and body positivity campaigns, especially in northern regions.
What we can do
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personal example but this is not always easy to do
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conversations on the topic but then they are often forgotten
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encouragement to express oneself and make choices
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education in schools and other structured environments for continuous, direct and impartial dialogue, to create healthy habits and build a solid basis for self-esteem, self-confidence and trust in one's own decisions, for self-love and authenticity throughout life
Why it matters
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increased self-knowledge and self-awareness
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awareness of self-care
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greater self-respect
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appreciation for diversity
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enhanced creativity and individuality
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healthy, sincere and strong relationships
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happy life in the community and society
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a more serene future in line with one's personal needs and desires
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more opportunities to create a reliable network, stay in touch and access opportunities for personal and professional growth
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tangible and measurable contributions to the community and society at large
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new generations ready to support and work for their dreams and goals in line with who each individual is
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a more authentic world made up of people who are at peace with themselves and can give their best in these new conditions
Why it matters to me
Growing up in an environment that doesn't foster self-expression and authenticity, surrounded by people who always seem to know anything better than you, is such a painful experience. What makes it worse is becoming an adult whose actions are guided by anxiety, depression and low self-esteem. I've learnt this first hand and I wanted my child to have a different kind of experience in terms of childhood, education and self-discovery.
When she was only two years old, my daughter would smile at her reflection in the mirror. I made a priority for me to strengthen that innate body confidence and self-love. I've seen the results of my conscious efforts on my daughter's mindset, self talk and behaviour and I want as many kids and adolescents as possible to benefit from the same support.
I am extremely grateful I had the chance to discover Style Coaching™ in my thirties. The efficient tools, the invaluable knowledge and the community that have supported me during the past few years have all contributed to my professional growth but, most importantly, they have done so much for me as an individual. Ever since I started experiencing its positive effects, I just can't help but think of the huge difference Style Coaching™ could make in the life of someone raised with all the empowering beliefs and effective techniques we promote as Style Coaches™.
Whilst I have felt the difference all these aspects have made in my life and mental health, I have also realised that operating a change in our self talk, self-esteem and body-image is possible but also more difficult if we start later in life. That's the reason why I strongly believe that building a strong foundation while growing up makes life so much more manageable and enjoyable. Our dreams seem easier to realise when we trust ourselves and confidently show up in different relationships and environments we get the opportunity to unlock along the way as children and, later in life, as adults.
My dream consists of a world filled with people who are happy with their bodies and at peace with themselves because this is the only state that allows us to positively contribute to a better and more harmonious world. I think this dream can be achieved more easily if Style Coaching™ were taught to younger generations in schools and/or other structured environments.
Learning goals of the activities I suggest
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Increased self-awareness and self-knowledge; personal preferences; decisions and choices based on specific criteria and supported by logic
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Sensitivity and self-reflection
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Self-confidence; self-expression; sense of well-being
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Respect for others, despite differences in physical appearance, personal preferences and subjective choices
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Inclusion and body positivity; positive body image
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Learning to take care of oneself; healthy and conscious choices regarding personal care products and make-up
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Colours, colour combinations and aesthetic and artistic sense
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Limiting beliefs and tools to overcome them
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Avoiding autopilot; sense of empowerment - believing in one's own abilities to create a life as desired
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Personal freedom and respect for others' freedom; endless possibilities
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Sustainability, ecology, respect for the planet and for people working for one's own comfort, such as manufacturers and service providers
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Ability to develop a vision and implement it; creation of a plan to achieve one's goals
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Questioning oneself in order to improve and reach new levels of otherwise unexplored potential
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Introduction to visualisation techniques and development of imagination
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Reframing, NLP principles and life coaching techniques transferable and applicable in other areas of life