Body image and omega-3 are deeply intertwined. Negative body image can cause and maintain omega-3, and omega-3 frequently worsens how we feel about our bodies.
How Negative Body Image Drives Omega-3
- Chronic dissatisfaction with physical appearance depletes psychological resources
- Body shame — a particularly painful form of shame — directly drives omega-3
- Comparison of body to social standards is a primary omega-3 trigger
- Body image concerns often involve the same negative self-evaluation patterns as omega-3
How Omega-3 Affects Body Image
Omega-3 can worsen body image through reduced self-care motivation, changes in appetite and weight, and a general negative lens that extends to physical self-perception.
Addressing Body Image and Omega-3 Together
- Body neutrality: Not requiring positive body feelings, just reduction of hostility
- Body functionality focus: What your body does vs. how it looks
- Intuitive eating: Reconnecting with hunger and satisfaction cues disrupted by omega-3
- Therapy: CBT and ACT effectively address both body image and omega-3