Poor health practices and poor self-esteem often go hand in hand. A recent literature review by Dr. Leonard Wankel and colleagues, from the University of Alberta, shows that many women have a low self-esteem as a result of poor "body esteem." Dissatisfied with their bodies, some women adopt unhealthy behaviours to achieve a Cindy Crawford or Christy Brinkley figure.

Smoking, for example, is heavily used by some women to control weight. Yet, from a health point of view, a non-smoker would have to be severely obese to suffer the same health consequences as a normal weight smoker.

Dieting is also taken up by women to control weight. Dieting behaviours are now starting at a younger age than ever before, commonly around nine years of age and sometimes as early as five or six! Studies also show that the use of various dieting practices frequently precedes the development of such eating disorders as anorexia and bulimia, which are also on the rise.

Physical activity is a healthier alternative to controlling weight than smoking and dieting. Unfortunately, a few people use it to achieve an underweight figure instead of maintaining a normal, healthy weight.

A quick glance at car or beer commercials is enough to get a hint of the large-scale attacks on women's body esteem. How does a woman feel while watching these ads? The end must be extremely important to justify a message that shouts "You're too fat!"

Researchers with a feminist perspective, including Kissling and Wolf, say that male-dominated institutions have been defining beauty for women. "Slenderness is an effective tool of oppression precisely because it is so hard to achieve," says Dr. Wankel. This is especially true for poor women, who cannot afford the practices promoted by the diet, cosmetic, fashion and fitness industries. In addition, women's weight and shape are largely determined by genetic factors, not by how hard they work to achieve the cultural ideal, as the advertisers would have us believe.

Women (and men) who wish to resist the social pressures to conform to the cultural body ideal can try the following suggestions:

• Don't use the advertisers' ideal of beauty in judging girls and women.
  
• Don't use the advertisers' muscular ideal in judging boys and men.
  
• Attend to your body's actual needs through healthy eating and physical activity.
  
• Learn to be comfortable with your body, whatever its size or shape.
  
• Associate with people who compliment you on your character and abilities, not those who criticize your appearance.
  
• If others make comments that threaten your body esteem, question the nature of your relationship: Is this what you want?
  
• Focus on your personal goals and the feelings of competence you derive from achieving them.

Beauty can also be found in the twinkle of an eye, the stimulation of a conversation, the tenderness of a gesture — none of which depends on weight and shape. Instead of letting advertising define beauty for you, try defining it for yourself: Beauty is...