Girl Guides survey: Body image biggest issue facing young Kiwi girls

  • 25/10/2016
Girl Guides survey: Body image biggest issue facing young Kiwi girls

By Ripeka Timutimu

When you think about Girl Guides, you probably imagine biscuits and badges - but what about body image?

Girl Guides New Zealand's recent survey of girls aged seven to 17 showed body image was the biggest issue affecting them today.

Girl Guides have been around for 108 years; from Botswana, to Kuwait, to Guatemala, they have infiltrated local halls around the globe.

But that's also part of the problem: the organisation's been around for so long, they're worried about seeming old.

4000 girls were survey and 61 percent said there should be a mixture of body types in the media - with just under half saying there is pressure on girls to look good.

But what they really wanted was a guiding hand, offering more than something just skin deep.

Story went along to a local Girl Guides meeting in Wellington to find out how they're preparing our youngsters to be leaders for the future.

Watch the video for the full Story report.