📢 A new large longitudinal study published today sheds new light on teens' mental health - showing that female teens and gender-diverse adolescents are the hardest hit.

The authors break it down via @ConversationEDU:
🔗 theconversation.com/we-tracked-a...

Pleased that our paper on shaping the narrative on #obesity was among the top ten most cited papers in #ObesityReviews

Particularly pleased to bring a #humanrights dimension that is too often missing

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

@worldobesity.bsky.social @oha-updates.bsky.social

I spoke on the latest Butterfly Foundation podcast about the impact of appearance ideals and the range of policy changes that could make a difference —> butterfly.org.au/podcast/the-...

Fix or fixated? I provided some commentary to SBS News on new Flinders University research on the links between diet/fitness apps and body image concerns, disordered eating, and compulsive exercise habits. www.sbs.com.au/news/article...

Women experience higher levels of body dissatisfaction compared to me across all age groups, and bear the majority of costs of body dissatisfaction and appearance-related discrimination. For more findings visit: butterfly.org.au/appearanceideals

Negative body image often prevents individuals from pursuing romantic relationships (43%), spending time with family and friends (36%), and giving an opinion or standing up for themselves (41%). Body image concerns have prevented more than 1 in 5 young people from attending school.

Weight-based discrimination has a devastating impact of quality of life and wellbeing, including social withdrawal, healthcare avoidance, and deterioration of physical health. It also affects workforce participation and productivity.

Body dissatisfaction and weight-based discrimination contribute to, and increase the risk of developing an eating disorder, as well as anxiety, depression, substance use disorder, self-harm and suicidality.

Butterfly Foundation launched our Cost of Appearance Ideals report today. More than 4.1 million people in Australia are significantly affected by body dissatisfaction, while over 3.1 million experience appearance-based discrimination, costing $36.6 billion and $27.6 billion per year.

The dream of technology is now under the control of men who are vain, foolish, self-centred, amoral, desperate for power, and in some cases openly fascistic. iandunt.substack.com/p/how-to-res...

Great advice Marie

User safety and rights need to be embedded in the design and operation of all social media platforms. Prioritising unrestricted speech over user safety threatens to undo years of progress in creating healthier, more positive online spaces. See Butterfly Foundation statement ➡️  lnkd.in/gEsh5Fj3

The beginning of the end for Meta.

So, let's try doing #duvetknowitschristmas here this evening? People are literally Driving Home For Christmas right now, which MIGHT JUST mean that they'll be sleeping somewhere unusual. 1/

Australians living in the most disadvantaged areas experience the highest levels of mental distress, they appear to have the least access to mental health services. theconversation.com/for-richer-b...

Sarah Hanson-Young saying what most people actually seem to think about the social media ban for kids.

"Young people will be pushed to darker spaces on the web and regional, marginalised and vulnerable kids will be further isolated." #auspol #AgeBan
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Got a spare 15 mins? Today is the last day that our Appearance Ideals survey is open, and we’re keen to hear a diversity of views on the impact of body ideals and appearance-based discrimination -> insightssurvey.kpmg.com.au/wix/8/p41195...

Eating disorders can affect anyone, including in Arabic-speaking communities — butterfly.org.au/get-involved...

Watching the Social Media Minimum Age inquiry.

This is colossal failure by the Labor government.

Unsupported by evidence, nearly impossible to enforce, riddled with privacy risks, unworkable exceptions, and exposes major flaws in Labor's capability and competence.

This bill may well fall foul of the implied freedom of political communication by cutting children out of large parts of social media conversation.