A new study has found that Irish teenagers are more sensitive to concerns over body image than in other countries.

The ‘How We See It’ report – surveyed over 2,000 young people aged between 12 and 18 – on the impact body image has on the mental health of teenagers.

Its shows more than 50% of respondents say their body image interferes with their participation in activities such as swimming, dating and putting photographs on Facebook.

‘Comparison with others’ ranks as the most negative influence for girls – while bullying is the most negative issue for boys.

The Survey found that body image is a burning issue for young people in Ireland, with 77% of participants ranking body image as important to them. 57% of the young people surveyed expressed some level of satisfaction with their body image, which means 43% were dissatisfied.

The report also contains a number of international comparisons. For example, in Australia only 32% of young people surveyed identified body image as a major concern for them.

The Survey also found that almost 2 in 3 participants say they feel pressurised to look good for other people. More than half say that comparing themselves with others impacts negatively on their body image and that their body image interferes with their participation in activities such as swimming, dating and putting photographs on Facebook.