Celebrities and social media stars habitual posting of photoshopped images of only their most flattering looks are being blamed for putting young people under pressure to meet an "unobtainable" body image standard.
A British survey by youth charity YMCA found 62 per cent of 15 to 16-year-olds felt social media had ramped up their expectations of their personal appearance, while 58 per cent of 11 to 16-year-olds said celebrity culture was their main influence.
More than 1000 young people aged between 11 and 16 years were interviewed in the study which examined the pressure they feel to look perfect.
YMCA has joined forces with the Be Real Campaign, which encourages social media users to sign up to the body image pledge #IPledgeToBeReal and stop editing their pictures before posting.
"We've all been guilty of only posting our most flattering pictures on social media," said YMCA England and Wales chief executive Denise Hatton.
"Today's beauty standard is completely unobtainable, leading us to constantly feel bad about our bodies and looks. This is particularly the case for young people and it can have serious effects on their mental and physical wellbeing.
"It's time we take back control of how we feel about our bodies and celebrate our real self so that everyone can feel confident in their body this summer and beyond."
