Some of your earliest memories may include playing with Barbie dolls. She has been a staple of young girls play time for 58 years, and whether you wanted a glam girl who went to balls, or a cool girl who loved hanging out at the beach, there was a Barbie for everyone.
But a recent study has suggested that the blonde doll could actually be dangerous for your little girl.
The Body Image Journal has published research suggesting that the much-loved Barbie dolls could be giving your daughter a weight complex.
The Australian study, based on 160 little girls aged between five and eight years old, found that the children playing with Barbie began to see her body type as the ‘ideal’.
Mattel, the creator of the doll, came under fire a few years ago when it was revealed that if Barbie were a real woman she wouldn’t be able to walk thanks to her unrealistic bust-waist-hips measurements.
The company has since released ‘curvy Barbies’ in a bid to represent different body types, but that hasn’t stopped children playing with the dolls from developing a complex about their own weight, the study says.
One body image expert has even gone on to say that Barbie should be withdrawn from children’s play completely.
Talking to the Herald Sun, an Australian newspaper, Marika Tiggemann said: “Children should not be given Barbies when they are young.
“If girls already have Barbies then parents should encourage them to do more than just make them look pretty.
“Exposure to Barbie promoted internalisation of the thin ideal in this sample of girls. This means they think appearance is important and in particular being skinny is good.”
However, Mattel argues that the study does not accurately represent realistic play experiences.
Would the results of this study stop you from buying Barbies for your children? Let us know what you think @CloserOnline via Facebook or Twitter.
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