Low body esteem sees girls missing out on life, Dove finds

More than half of all girls aged 10-17 are missing out on key opportunities in life due to not having high self-esteem about their bodies, according to Dove.

A new report released by the beauty giant found that 54% of girls within the age category do not have high body esteem, with the research also drawing the conclusion that girls with low body esteem are more likely to withdraw from fundamental life-building activities.

Globally, 55% of girls will avoid spending time with friends and family, participating in activities outside the house, or trying out for a team or club if they aren't happy with the way they look, the ‘2017 Dove Global Girls Beauty and Confidence Report' found. For girls with low body esteem, this percentage rises to 80%.

Furthermore, girls with high body esteem appeared better equipped to deal with the pressures of unattainable beauty ideals in the media, with 78% saying they believe they are beautiful, despite differences with images portrayed by the media. Only 12% of girls with low body esteem said the same.

However, 70% of girls surveyed also believe that too much emphasis is placed on beauty as a source of happiness, and 68% wish the media would do "a better job" of portraying diverse women. Encouragingly, 82% think something about them is beautiful, and 80% feel more confident after doing things that make them feel happy about themselves.

"Our research shows that a girl aged 17 is more likely to experience lower happiness and life satisfaction than a 10-year-old," says Sophie Galvani, Global Vice President, Dove Masterbrand. "This is a crucial moment in a girl's life where proactive intervention and support is needed, and that is exactly what the Dove Self-Esteem Project is designed to do -- its evidence-based tools, interventions and workshops are proven to help build positive body confidence in young people, and ultimately help the next generation reach their full potential in life."

Dove first launched its ‘Self-Esteem Project' in 2004, during which time the brand claims to have helped over 20 million young people improve body confidence and self-esteem. It has also created a series of campaigns designed to engage with ordinary women everywhere, such as its 'Campaign for Real Beauty' and 'Real Beauty Sketches', featuring non-professional models in its marketing material.

The 2017 Dove Global Girls Beauty and Confidence Report was conducted by Edelman Intelligence and involved interviewing 5,165 girls aged 10-17 across 14 different countries. For more information on the Dove Self-Esteem Project, see selfesteem.dove.com