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Christian Doc: Parents Must Combat Media Vanity With Biblical Truth

by Mary Rettig
August 23, 2005

(ChristiansUnite.com) - A Christian doctor believes a spiritual reason is behind increased steroid and supplement abuse among teenagers. According to pediatrician Nick Yates, a nationwide survey published in the journal Pediatrics indicates that teens often turn to dangerous body-building and performance-enhancing substances for vanity's sake.

The study described in Pediatrics found that more teenagers than ever are dealing with body-image dissatisfaction, and they believe steroids and other unsafe remedies will help them feel better about themselves. Those teens who reported worry about their body image were more likely to use hormones and dietary supplements in efforts to improve their physiques.

Yates, a member of the Christian Medical and Dental Associations, says helping to fuel this widespread body dissatisfaction among youth is the mainstream media, which he calls "a very powerful tool" that is "used with great skill." He notes that young people are constantly bombarded with advertising media and pop culture entertainment touting unrealistic images of physical beauty and perfection.

"And there are pictures not just in magazines but images on the TV and even on the radio -- the expressed word is one of looking good, being strong," The Christian pediatrician points out. "So, sure, I think there's a lot of pressure from the media," he says. And the point of much of this bombardment is for advertisers, he adds, is "to sell their product to the teenager, who is very much subjected to this type of thing."

Yates says in order for parents to combat these media influences, parents need to impress on their children the biblical truth that they are created in God's image and are "fearfully and wonderfully made." And mothers and fathers should take care to observe and internalize these facts themselves, the pediatrician adds, since children also pick up on the unintentional messages their parents send.

In fact, the CMDA spokesman contends that children take tremendous stock of what their parents say, and parents need to make the most of every opportunity to affirm their youngsters and build their sense of self-worth. "Children are a gift and a blessing," he says, "and if we don't spend time with them, showing them how to do things and showing them what is important, then somebody else will fill their minds and fill their hearts with other language -- other messages."

With all the media's emphasis on external, physical beauty and materialistic values, Yates says those other messages children receive from the media and their culture will generally not be in keeping with what the parents want and need to communicate. With respect to guiding and showing children and adolescents what is right, the Christian doctor says mothers and fathers must make sure their kids know what the Bible says about the real source of their beauty and self worth.

Mary Rettig, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.