Beauty at all costs - Caribbean spends US$30 million yearly on beauty products

A staggering US$30 million (approximately J$4.7 billion) is reportedly spent in the region annually on beauty products, fuelling what experts call an obsession with physical perfection that is spiralling out to dangerous extremes.

This pursuit of an ideal body and appearance is not only wreaking havoc on physical health but also taking a devastating toll on mental health, pushing people toward life-threatening extremes.

Leading experts, including Professor Caryl James, a clinical psychologist and eating disorder specialist, and Dr Abigail Harrison, a consultant paediatrician and adolescent medicine specialist, warn that the Caribbean's fixation on beauty has reached alarming levels.

"Our society has placed more emphasis on "beauty in its extreme" and seem to have taken this to another level that has implications for their physical health and financial health," James and Harrison told THE WEEKEND STAR.

"We have seen in our research where the cost of beauty products exceeds US$30 million annually, and this is in a society where we struggle to meet our basic needs. So, the priorities have shifted to beauty on the outside, no matter what measures we have to take, as if our bodies are indispensable," the academics said.

The experts said the pursuit of beauty seems to have reached dangerous extremes, with many literally dying to be beautiful.

"Some activities we have seen people engaging in are the diet fads, which may become risky, with some persons going to extremes and not know when to stop, with weight loss leading to harmful outcomes, with the risk of death. Some persons have engaged in starving and then binging (overeating), as their bodies are unable to sustain the deprivation of nutrients to their bodies," they said.

This extreme focus on outward appearance has fuelled a surge in eating disorders, skin bleaching, and obesity, with dire consequences for our youth.

"Our obesity rates are higher than in the United States or Europe," James pointed out.

"This has led to a dangerous rise in non-communicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease," she added.

The University of the West Indies (UWI) specialists point to a "nationally representative survey by Harrison and colleagues (2019)", which found that more than one in five adolescents is at risk of developing an eating disorder.

"The adolescents who are at risk of developing an eating disorder were also more likely to engage in self-harm, had a history of sexual abuse, cigarette use and others. Our adolescents also indicated a desire to be thinner and have a lighter complexion. Adolescents who [were] overweight were more likely to use medications such as diuretics, laxatives and diet pills, and were more likely to have thoughts about suicide," they said.

And this isn't just a female problem. Males, especially those in bodybuilding, are struggling with body dissatisfaction and a desire for a muscular physique.

"We have seen where males are taking steroids for muscle building, and will go to no length to bulk up, ignoring the very serious health risks that come with inappropriate use of steroids," the academics said.

These disordered eating behaviours, coupled with the harmful effects of skin bleaching, are taking a toll on the mental health of Caribbean youth. With rising cases of self-harm, low self-esteem, and suicidal thoughts, experts agree that the need for intervention is urgent.

"We need to make mental health just as important as physical health," the experts said ahead of a groundbreaking conference at The UWI, Mona Campus next week. Dubbed 'Dying to Be Beautiful', the conference is slated for December 6-8. Presenters are set to address key topics of body image, eating behaviours, and mental health in Jamaica and the Caribbean.

The conference will bring together local and international experts from various fields to discuss these pressing matters, offering solutions like yoga, natural remedies, and mental health tips to help people reshape their relationship with beauty, food, and their bodies.

James and Harrison said that events like the conference will help to bring more awareness to the public and health professionals about the link between mental health and body image.

"We need to get to a place where our mental health is given the same level of importance as our physical health, otherwise we will be in serious trouble," the university experts said.