Body Image in Advertising Messages: The Influence of Television Advertising on the Construction of Children’s Body Image

Abstract

Several studies have shown that children build the foundations of their body image between the ages of 5 and 10 and that the development of the body image is affected by audiovisual advertising. The literature has criticized some advertising portrayals for promoting behaviors that harm children’s body image. Such effects warrant scholarly attention, as research has shown that about 40 to 50 percent of children are unsatisfied with their physical appearance. This chapter analyzes the most frequent stereotypes present in audiovisual advertising that focuses on children in primary school and the effects of these stereotypes on the construction of children’s body image.