Taipei:A recent survey has revealed that 35% of junior and senior high school students in Taiwan experience anxiety about their appearance. The Child Welfare League Foundation (CWLF) reported these findings on Thursday, highlighting that the issue affects almost half of the female students surveyed.

According to Focus Taiwan, the survey included 10,345 junior and senior high school students, with 35.4% agreeing that they suffer from appearance anxiety. The results show a significant gender disparity, with 48.7% of girls experiencing such anxiety compared to 20.6% of boys.

The survey also found that 23.5% of the students wear face masks for more than half of each day due to concerns about their appearance. Nearly 40% of students wear masks during physical activities such as gym class. In response to their anxiety, almost 20% of students have considered cosmetic procedures, and nearly 10% expressed interest in GLP-1 injections, which can help reduce appetite.

The CWLF noted that appearance anxiety often stems from feelings of loneliness and negative self-perception, rather than just "overthinking." Criticism from family members can worsen these feelings, with 42.8% of students reporting criticism from parents about their appearance, body shape, or clothing. Among those with severe appearance anxiety, 10.8% faced regular criticism from parents, while only 3.3% reported rare criticism.

The survey also highlighted a connection between appearance anxiety and mental health, revealing that 90.4% of students with low anxiety levels had never considered suicide, compared to 29.6% of those with high anxiety levels who had such thoughts.

Counseling psychologist Teng Shan-ting explained that appearance anxiety often relates to feelings of inadequacy and social rejection. Students frequently use face masks for psychological comfort. Teng advises parents to understand their children's emotional needs rather than focusing solely on the behavior of wearing masks.