The researchers from Tufts University have discovered one serious fact about teenage girls. They have found out that teenage girls who feel insecure about their own body have an increased likelihood to drink more.
This study was published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs in January 2017.
"The odds of alcohol use increased to 1.29 times among girls with body image misperception," according to the Daily Mail.
The study suggests that teenage girls with poor body were 1.22 times more likely to consume more alcoholic drinks in a short period of time.
"Negative self-image can lead to negative behaviors. Body image and behavioral misperception occurs when actions are taken based on a perceived weight status or body image," the study's senior author, Margie Skeer, told the Daily Mail. She pointed out that being able to identify the clear relationship between the drinking habits the body image teenage girls think about themselves can help save these girls from toxic and unhealthy behaviors.
The research also suggest that Hispanic girls had a higher tendency to engage in drinking especially when they had poor body image compared to Caucasian girls and even African-American girls who are the least to be engaged in drinking alcohol despite having insecurities about their bodies.
However, it is important to take note that the results of the study is based on the girls' reporting which means that more research is needed to prove this theory. But, this does not mean that people, most especially parents, should no longer pay attention to their children's drinking habits.
While more studies are needed to be conducted to identify whether drinking is a cause or effect of poor body image among teenagers, looking closely into this behavior can help identify other factors that could be supporting this relationship.
