Changing the perfect picture: an inquiry into body image

Women and Equalities Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 26 Mar 2020 Closed: 4 Nov 2021 Parliament page
Awareness of the impact of advertising and media consumption on people’s body image has increased in recent years. Negative body image is widely perceived as solely a young women’s problem. But more recently, research has shown that this is a wider issue: Recent studies report that over a third of … Read more
17 Recommendations
1 Report
5 Oral sessions
7 Letters
5 Events
Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions
Caroline Dinenage MP · Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Mark Griffin · Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Nadine Dorries MP · Department for Health and Social Care Zoe Seager · Department of Health and Social Care
Alexandra Evans · TikTok Henry Turnball · Snap Inc Richard Earley · Facebook Inc
Caroline O'Neill · L’Oréal Paris (UK) Chris Macleod · Transport for London Kate Dale · Sport England Kelly Byrne · Nasty Gal, boohoo group Malcolm Phillips · Advertising Standards Authority Sophie Van Ettinger · Dove
Cassianne Anonymous · Lived Experience Catherine Deakin · Changing Faces Danny Bowman · Lived Experience Dr Antonis Kousoulis · Mental Health Foundation Dr Marc Bush · YoungMinds Kate Roberts · Lived Experience Tatyana Anonymous · Lived Experience Zoe Palmer · Girlguiding UK
Dr Amy Slater · Centre for Appearance Research Dr Francesca Solmi · University College London Professor Clare Chambers · Nuffield Council on Bioethics
Recommendations & Conclusions
3 results
1 Recommendation Not Addressed
Sixth Report: Changing the perfect…
People face appearance-based discrimination on a daily basis, at work, in schools and in public...
People face appearance-based discrimination on a daily basis, at work, in schools and in public spaces. Whilst we were disappointed not to hear from the Government Equalities Office on their assessment of appearance-based discrimination, we are pleased that the Government … Read more
Government Response
The government states that the EHRC has responded directly to the Committee, but does not commit to promoting the EHRC's guidance or publishing its own research as requested.
Government Equalities Office
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2 Recommendation Not Addressed
Sixth Report: Changing the perfect…
Lockdown has undoubtedly worsened existing body image anxieties and inspired new insecurities for thousands of...
Lockdown has undoubtedly worsened existing body image anxieties and inspired new insecurities for thousands of people across the country. In particular, we are alarmed by the rapidly rising rates in eating disorders and other mental health conditions. The impact of … Read more
Government Response
The government refers the Committee to a direct response from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), rather than providing its own review of rising eating disorder rates or outlining specific policy interventions.
Government Equalities Office
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4 Recommendation Not Addressed
Sixth Report: Changing the perfect…
We are hugely saddened to hear of the number of people who have faced appearance...
We are hugely saddened to hear of the number of people who have faced appearance and weight-based discrimination when accessing NHS services. There is no way to quantify the damage this has done to individuals’ mental and physical health. We … Read more
Government Response
The government response focuses on improving eating disorder services and general funding for related studies, but does not commit to commissioning specific research on weight-based discrimination in the NHS or addressing the use of BMI.
Government Equalities Office
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Government Response AI assessment · 17 of 17 classified

Total 17 recs
Correspondence 7 letters
22 Jun 2021 Correspondence from the Director of Media Smart UK to the Chair relating to their educational resource on body image and mental well-being
Parliament page
17 May 2021 Correspondence from the Equality and Human Rights Commission to the Chair relating to the Committee’s inquiry into ‘Changing the perfect picture: an inquiry into body image.’
Parliament page
11 May 2021 Correspondence from the Steering Group of the Obesity Health Alliance to the Chair relating to the Committee’s inquiry into ‘Changing the perfect picture: an inquiry into body image’
Parliament page
3 Nov 2020 Correspondence from Yound Minds to the Chair regarding body image inquiry
Parliament page
3 Nov 2020 Correspondence from the Mental Health Foundation to the Chair regaridng body image inquiry
Parliament page
2 Nov 2020 Correspondence from Changing Faces to the Chair regarding body image inquiry
Parliament page
22 Oct 2020 Correspondence from Girlguiding to the Chair regarding body image inquiry
Parliament page