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    Think of the children! Experiencing family nudity in childhood nurtures mental wellbeing into adulthood

    A striking new study by Professor Keon West reveals that, starting from an early age, spending time naked has positive effects on our mental health that stay with us throughout our lives.

    The British Naturism poll conducted by Ipsos in 2022 showed that nudity among adults is both popular and widely accepted.  Over a third of adults have participated in nude recreation such as skinny dipping or sunbathing without a costume and over a fifth have spent time naked in the company of non-family members or partners in the last year alone.  Studies have shown that spending just 45 minutes in a nude social setting increases appreciation for one’s own body and reduces social anxiety, while adult participation in clothes-free activities over a number of years increases long-term positive body image, self-esteem and life satisfaction.

    Despite this widespread enthusiasm for adult nudity, some people fear that simple nudity might be harmful to children.  Without evidence to the contrary, there can be a natural instinct to attempt to shield our children from perceived harm.  However, this fear-based approach can now be challenged by new research.

    Funded by British Naturism and the International Naturist Federation, Professor West of Goldsmiths, University of London has investigated how nudity within the family during childhood affects mental health both at the time and in later life.  The studies published on behalf of the National Children’s Bureau in the psychology journal, Children & Society, comprise two, large-sample size analyses. Participants were recruited through a platform used for a wide range of psychological studies, thus avoiding pre-existing bias in selection of those surveyed.

    In the first study, self-esteem and mental wellbeing of adults were compared with their recalled experiences of nudity during childhood.  The sample included equal numbers of men and women, and the average age was 30 years old.  Additional questions covered other topics to mask the purpose of the survey and avoid respondents giving answers they thought they were supposed to.  The study finds that participation in nude activities and a positive family attitude towards nudity during childhood predicted an improvement in body image and self-esteem.  Through the effects on body image and self-esteem, regular nudity during childhood also led to an overall improvement in mental health as an adult.

    The second study confirmed that nudity is harmless, even during the childhood years.  Children of 7-17 years old (average age 15) were surveyed for their self-esteem and mental wellbeing, while their mothers were independently surveyed for the frequency with which the child encountered nudity and the attitudes to nudity within the family.  The children only knew that they were completing a survey about their views and were unaware of the questions being answered by their parents, thus ensuring that answers were not distorted by embarrassment.  The study reveals that concerns about negative effects of nudity on the wellbeing of children are misplaced.  No negative impact of nudity on mental wellbeing among the children was detected, indeed, there are indications of a possible positive effect on body image.

    Together, these studies reveal some crucial findings:
    1)    Adults who grew up in families with a positive attitude to nudity have better body image, better self-esteem, and better overall mental health.
    2)    There were indications that children living in a family environment where nudity is commonplace may have a better body image.
    3)    There was no evidence of an association between nudity in childhood and negative outcomes.

    These findings matter.  Society is suffering a mental health crisis where 1 in 4 people experience a mental health problem every year and incidents of self-harming have tripled over a 15-year period.  Poor body image is one of the major contributing factors, especially among young people.  Kane, 20, tells us:

    “Mental health and body image are always going to be inextricably linked and will influence each other.  I have faced problems with my body image due a variety of reasons, most namely dysphoria and my body not feeling like my own.  When my mental health started to decline, I developed an eating disorder and began self-harming in an attempt to feel ownership over my body.  This of course did not help my body image/ self-esteem, and that in turn did not help my mental health, leading to a downwards cycle where both declined.”

    Naturism is not an instant solution to all mental health issues, but the new study shows us that a healthy approach to nudity during our childhood provides a measurable step in the right direction.  The study challenges those with negative assumptions about Naturism to reconsider their views and that isolating children from nudity may be against the child’s best interests.  As Professor West eloquently summarises:

    “Given the consistent and growing body of evidence that participation in Naturism leads to
    positive outcomes, we should consider the potential harm caused by denying certain people
    (including younger people) access to these activities.”

    Mark Bass
    President of British Naturism


    Keon West (2023) Think of the children!: Relationships between nudity-related experiences in childhood, body image, self-esteem and adjustment, Children & Society, https://doi.org/10.1111/chso.12743
     


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