**5. Consequences of body dissatisfaction**

Since body image formation involves the subjects' relationship with their own body, positive and gratifying experiences are required with regard to the body so that a satisfactory development of the body image may occur. The subjects who refuse their own physical appearance undergo an interpersonal anxiety experience and have difficulties in their social interactions (Castilho, 2001).

Overweight and obesity in any age bracket are high stigmatizing conditions in society and negatively affect the subjects' vocational, professional and relationship opportunities. Fear of being obese, body dissatisfaction and the preoccupation in being thin may establish body image distortions in children and adolescents, produce health damaging behaviour such as the inadequate ingestion of food, risking cognitive development and the development of eating behaviour disorders, such as bulimia nervosa (Cooley & Toray, 2001; Crocker et al., 2003; Johnson & Wardle, 2005; Nunes et al., 2003; Pinheiro & Giugliane, 2006a; Stice et al., 2002; Vilela et al., 2004).

Girls who go on restrictive eating diets gain weight in the long run and thus a vicious circle ensues (Field et al., 2003; Stice et al., 1999; Stice et al., 2002). These situations are a source of concern to health professionals because of the high prevalence of adolescents with low body satisfaction levels (Smolak, 2004). Several studies have emphasized that body dissatisfaction is associated with eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia in adolescent and adult females (Cattarin & Thompson, 1994; Thompson & Smolack, 2001) and also in children (Gardner et al., 2002).

Several research works have associated body dissatisfaction and a wide variety of negative implication in health and behaviour, such as an increase in depression, low self-esteem, and anxiety, and an increase in dangerous habits such as smoking, alcoholism and drug-taking (Ackard et al., 2002; Granner et al., 2002; Ohring et al., 2002; Pesa et al., 2000; Rierdan & Koff, 1997; Stice & Shaw, 2002; Stice et al., 2000).

A five-year longitudinal study revealed that body-dissatisfied males and females frequently acquire eating compulsion, acquire bad eating behaviour, live a sedentary life and adopt unhealthy habits for weight control. The above study proved that low body dissatisfaction fails to be a motivation to get a healthy weight behaviour. On the contrary, it predisposes to types of behaviour that may put to risk adolescents' health and it increases chances in weight gaining (Neumark-Sztainer et al*.*, 2006).

Since most adolescents are greatly affected by social pressures, the media, parents and friends, it is recommended that their convivial milieu be focused on healthy and physical activities rather than on body weight control. This will minimize the effects of enhancements of the slim body ideal in Western society and increase the probability that they will be satisfied with their body (Kelly et al., 2005).

Several authors report that the practice of physical activity by adolescents is related to body satisfaction (Savage et al., 2009; Damasceno et al., 2005; Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2006). Parents, educators and health professionals should stimulate adolescents to adopt programs for the promotion of the healthy body and for a positive body image. This will inhibit potential damaging behaviour, such as unhealthy control in body weight and eating binges.
