MPs on the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee said the impact of body image on mental and physical health is “wide-ranging” and that the government is “not doing enough to understand the scale of the risks”. The commission is calling on the government to introduce a law so that “commercial images” featuring bodies that have been morphed in any way – including changing body proportions or skin tone – are legally required to carry a logo to inform viewers that they have been digitally altered. The committee’s chairman, former health secretary Jeremy Hunt, said: “At the very least, when commercial companies photograph images to make people look thinner than they would be in real life, we think it should be pointed out – we think people looking these images you should know that this is not a real person. “And that’s part of how we can help people use social media with more awareness, (know) some of the tricks of the trade, if you will, and therefore stop this constant focus on our bodies , which is so damaging to so many young people, especially young women.” The report raises concerns about the impact of social media on body dissatisfaction, particularly among young people. MPs called on ministers to discourage influencers from changing their images. The report also says more needs to be done to tackle obesity and prevent body image problems in children from developing early in life. Read more: COVID and social media pressures increase mental health problems Influencers may be forced to display warning logo on edited body photos Two-thirds of young people exposed to harmful online content – but only 16% report it A government spokesman said: “We know the devastating effects around body image can have on a person’s mental and physical health and we continue to take action to support those affected. “As part of our ongoing effort, we will introduce a national licensing system to help prevent exploitation, improve safety and ensure that people make informed and safe choices about non-surgical cosmetic procedures. “This will build on the existing support we have put in place, from expanding mental health services – including those with body dysmorphic disorder – with an extra £2.3 billion a year by 2024, to changing the law preventing access to Botox and persons under 18 years of age and filler treatments for cosmetic purposes’.
