Love Island hits our screens tonight and a fresh cohort of bikini-clad singletons will grace our screens, desperate to find love in the famous villa. Hosted by Maya Jama , the 11th series will no doubt see new contestants pull each other for endless 'chats' by the fire bit, agonise over whether they 'are loyal' and see where 'their head is at'. It's been dubbed 'the biggest series yet' but one thing is for certain - it's hard to ignore the cast's impeccable looks, and the tough beauty standards they set.
The ITV show has been notoriously criticsed for not representing plus-sized bodies over the years, and now an psychologist has issued a warning to any teens tuning in. There has been a colossal rise in the amount of young people exploring the world of body enhancements. From botox and filler to more extreme avenues such as steroids and BBLs (Brazilian bum lift), the craze shows no sign of slowing down.
With this in mind, experts warn that it's important for parents to look out for the signs their child may be feeling insecure, suffering from low self-esteem or even comparing themselves to reality stars and influencers from a young age. Educational psychologist Dr Patricia Britto has shared some advice for teens when it comes to body positivity and reality TV and social media. "Whenever the media promotes a particular type of body image, it can adversely affect anyone, particularly teenagers who are yet to develop their prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for rational thin.