This petition was submitted during the 2019-2024 parliament

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Petition #RecogniseBodyImage for the first time in UK law

Government should #RecogniseBodyImage as a priority in the Online Harms Legislation. This would require social media companies to recognise body image in their community standards, to foster healthier and realistic representations of body image, and require this content to be regulated.

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With one in three UK teenagers feeling ‘ashamed of their body’ (Guardian, 2019), two in five girls aged 11-16 saying they have seen images online that make them feel insecure or less confident (Girl Guides, 2021) and almost three in ten adult men aged 18 and over feeling anxious due to body images (MHF, 2019), it is clear that social media platforms are perpetuating a false perception of body image and beauty standards, which is having a detrimental impact on the population.

This petition is closed This petition ran for 6 months

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The impact of body image on mental and physical health – Share your views with MPs

The MPs on the Health and Social Care Committee want to hear your views on the impact of body image on physical and mental health. They have launched a survey covering accessing public health services for body image-related issues and the current public health messaging on obesity. You do not need to have experience of all of these to take the survey. All responses will be anonymous.

Share your views by taking this 10 minute survey: https://forms.office.com/r/Lt8igbwKNU

The survey will remain open until Wednesday 11 May at 5pm.

The responses received will be used to inform the Committee’s inquiry into the impact of body image on mental and physical health. The results will likely be published as part of the Committee’s report on this issue, which will be published following the conclusion of the inquiry later this year, and will contribute to the recommendations the Committee will make to the Government on this topic.

The inquiry

The Health and Social Care Committee’s inquiry is examining concerns about the relationship between people’s perception of their body image and their physical and mental health. They will consider how far people’s perception of body image can hinder access to NHS services and whether NHS training and Government messaging should be altered.

The inquiry is currently ongoing. So far, the Committee has held two evidence session with activists such as James Brittain-McVey, Lead Guitarist in the Vamps and Campaigner; Alex Light, Journalist and Influencer; Nyome Nicholas-Williams, Model and Activist, and NHS clinical and research experts.

Find out more information about the inquiry, including the written and oral submissions received: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/1674/the-impact-of-body-image-on-mental-and-physical-health/

What is the Health and Social Care Committee?

The Health and Social Care Committee is a cross-party group of MPs that look into the work of the Department for Health and Social Care and associated public bodies.

Find out more about the Committee: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/81/health-and-social-care-committee/

Follow the Committee on Twitter for updates on its work: https://twitter.com/CommonsHealth

The Health and Social Care Committee is a select committee. Find out how select committees work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_2RDuDs44c

Get involved in the work of the UK Parliament

You can also sign up to the UK Parliament newsletter for the latest information on how to get involved and make a difference: https://learning.parliament.uk/en/your-uk-parliament-newsletter-sign-up-form/