Body Image and Young People

Body Image and Young People featuring Dr. Holly Peek, MD, MPH – Shrinking It Down

By Khadijah Booth Watkins, Associate Director, Gene Beresin, Executive Director and Holly Peek, MD, MPH

Topics: Child + Adolescent Development, Culture + Society, Digital Media

Turning on TV, opening a magazine, or going on our phones these days, kids are overwhelmed with images showing us what we should look like. Even on “reality” TV, none of the people look like your average person. With all of these images circulating in our everyday lives, it is easy for any of us to get caught up and judge our own bodies, but especially young people who soak these images in and can internalize these “ideals”.

Today, Gene and Khadijah are joined by special guest Dr. Holly Peek, Assistant Medical Director of the Klarman Eating Disorders Center at McLean Hospital, and former Miss New Orleans, to talk about body image and the ways in which it can affect self-esteem. They also touch on how boys are often left out of this conversation, how media and Hollywood impacts body image, the importance of nutrition, and how parents can help young people cultivate a positive body image for themselves.

Tune in for this timely episode. We hope that our conversation will help you to have yours.

Media List:

Holly Peek, MD, MPH (McLean Hospital)
Paw House Inn (Paw House Inn)
National Love Your Pet Day (Instagram)
How To Talk To Children About the Russian Invasion of Ukraine (AP News)
Digital Media and Body Image (MGH Clay Center)
Relationship Woes: Helping Your Child Break Up With Junk Food Without Harming Their Mental Health (MGH Clay Center)
The Impact of Reality TV On Our Teens: What Can Parents Do? (MGH Clay Center)
Docusoap (Merriam-Webster)
Shaping Girls: Analyzing Animated Female Body Shapes (Animation: An Interdisciplinary Journal)
Super Bowl Halftime Show 2022 (YouTube)
Media and Eating Disorders in Fiji: Interview with Anne E. Becker, MD (WebsEdgeMedicine – YouTube) (MGH Clay Center) – https://mghclaycenter.org/parenting-concerns/digital-media-eating-disorders/
How to Make a Vision Board That Works in 9 Simple Steps (Artful Parent)

Episode Produced by Bianca Dempsey

Edited by Sara Rattigan

Music by Gene Beresin

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Khadijah Booth Watkins, Associate Director

Khadijah Booth Watkins, MD, MPH, is associate director of the Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and the Associate Director of the Child and...

To learn more about Khadijah, or to contact her directly, please see Our Team.

Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Gene Beresin, MD, MA is executive director of The MGH Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds, and a staff child and adolescent psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is also...

To learn more about Gene, or to contact him directly, please see Our Team.

Holly Peek, MD, MPH

Holly Peek, MD, MPH, received her medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine. She also received a dual Masters of Public Health degree at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, with a concentration in global co...

To read full bio click here.