Community

Younger generations more ‘self concious’

Published

9 years ago

April 28, 2016

NEW RESEARCH conducted by Weight Watchers has revealed that modern Welsh women are considerably less confident than their mothers were at the same age.

As part of the survey, Weight Watchers questioned over 2,000 women across the UK and in Wales.

Weight Watchers state that today’s young Welsh women are ‘losing out in the self-confidence generation game’, as their survey results have exposed the fact that over two thirds of Welsh women aged between 18 and 30 do not currently consider themselves to be confident.

Whilst 62% of Welsh women, more than the national average of 58%, feel their body is the area they are least confident about, research also revealed that the older generations of women are twice as positive about themselves as the younger generation, with less than 7% of Welsh 18 to 30 year-olds feeling confident in their bodies at all.

Weight Watchers say that although young women today enjoy considerably more freedom and equality both in their careers and relationships than previous generations, they are more lacking in confidence and self-esteem compared to older women when they were the same age.

In a cross generational study conducted by Weight Watchers, it was revealed that the younger women asked had 50% less positive thoughts about themselves a day compared to their mothers’ generation, alongside a third more negative thoughts per day.

For Welsh women, there was a strong correlation between body confidence and the women’s overall happiness. 20% of women aged between 50 and 65 reported having body confidence in their thirties, with 74% of these women agreeing that they currently felt happy in themselves.

Sadly, less than 10% of today’s 30-year-olds felt that they were happy in their appearance, with only 66% feeling happy in themselves overall.

This evidence was further supported by the result that young women place more than four times more emphasis on physical improvement by working on their health and fitness (59%), but only 5% of these women answered that they were happy about their body.

Nearly half of the women surveyed stated that their body was the area of their life they currently felt most unhappy about.

Commenting on the findings of the Weight Watchers research, Dr Katy Tapper, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at City University London, said: “It is unsurprising that these findings indicate young women today are feeling far less confident in their bodies than the older generation did at the same age.

“The UK is seeing rising rates of obesity in young women which can contribute to decreased body confidence and lead to lower mood levels.”

However, it was reported that young women had higher degrees of confidence in their relationships and professional capabilities than their mother’s generation did at their age. 58% of the older women survey agreed that today’s young women are much more empowered than they were at the same age.

However, 55% of the older generation concurred that the pressure to look good is more prevalent today, which could potentially be a consequence of the rise of the selfie. They said that this is likely due to the perceived confidence that results from the current social media climate of confidence building through curated photographic representations of the self.

The older generations were more likely to be pleased with how they look in the mirror (38%), be proud of something they had accomplished during the day (21%) or walk down the street feeling good about themselves when they were the same age (75%).

Zoe Griffiths, Head of Public Health and Programme at Weight Watchers, remarked on the survey results, saying: “It is clear that women today are far harder on themselves in all aspects of life than their mothers’ generation was. From careers and relationships to the way they look, women today are pushing themselves to exceed in every way.

“This is a trend can have a huge impact on young women’s confidence which is why at Weight Watchers, we believe it is incredibly important for women to build a strong and positive relationship with body and mind.

“We want to empower women to focus on building greater self-belief to achieve positive change.”

This researched has been conducted by Weight Watchers as a part of #WomanKind, a nationwide campaign that explores why modern women are unkind to themselves and how they can counter this cultural habit, to make healthier choices by focusing on building greater selfbelief to build better relationships with themselves.

Community

Tractor run lights up Pembrokeshire and raises funds for charity

Published

23 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE PEMBROKESHIRE ILLUMINATED TRACTOR RUN took place today (Dec 21), raising funds for two vital charities: the Catrin Vaughan Foundation and Wales Air Ambulance.

Starting at Clarbeston Road AFC at 6:00pm, the brightly lit convoy of nearly 200 tractors made its way through Withybush Hospital and Haverfordwest High Street before finishing at the Pembrokeshire County Showground.

The annual event has become a highlight of the festive calendar, drawing large crowds to witness the spectacle of tractors adorned with colourful lights and decorations.

Funds raised from the event will support the Catrin Vaughan Foundation, which provides crucial assistance to families facing hardship, and the Wales Air Ambulance, delivering life-saving emergency medical care across the region.

Organisers praised the dedication of local farmers and volunteers, whose commitment ensures the event’s continued success year after year.

(Image: Nia Marshall/Facebook)

Community

Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.

In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”

Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.

Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.

Community

Restoration of a pond hopes to support biodiversity in Pembrokeshire

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Tom Sinclair

AN OLD millpond at the heart of the Wallis and Ambleston community, and a site of Special Scientific Interest, has now been improved to benefit water quality and increase biodiversity in an area of South Wales, thanks to funding from Nestlé Waters UK.

Wallis Pond was created in 1836 as part of the tributary of the Wester Cleddau River to supply water to a local mill. Back in 1978, it was restored and later re-opened by HRH King Charles III, the then Prince of Wales.

Over the years, the pond had become completely silted up, restricting the waters passage and the pond’s ability to retain water, resulting in a reduced diversity of habitat in and around the millpond.

Pembrokeshire County Council, Heavyside Landscapes and Nestlé Waters UK have come together to restore the millpond with regulatory guidance from Natural Resources Wales and support from the Ambleston Community Council.

The project saw the pond re-dug and de-silted, and the old sluice gate replaced to re-establish the millpond. With the pond now able to hold more water, it is hoped to help build resilience to the increased frequency and intensity of storm events, alleviating the risk of flooding in the local area.

Retention of flows in the pond for a longer time should help reduce silt build-up and prevent nutrients such as phosphates and nitrates from travelling downstream in the Cleddau catchment, helping to protect water quality, improve aquatic habitats, and encourage eels, otters, damselflies, and other wildlife species.

Restoration of Wallis Pond is one of the projects that Nestlé Waters is working on as part of its efforts to help regenerate local water cycles and create a positive water impact everywhere the company operates.

Matthew Faulkner, Factory Manager at the Nestlé Waters site in Princes Gate, said: “We are proud to be a part of the Wallis Pond restoration work, aimed at delivering long-lasting benefits in Pembrokeshire, where we bottle at source Princes Gate and Nestlé Pure Life waters. This beautiful landscape is not only our home, but also home to some incredible flora and fauna which are vital for keeping the area rich and thriving in biodiversity.

“We’re working hard to protect this land and the water beneath our feet. Water is a shared resource and a shared responsibility, and caring for it takes the whole community. That’s why we’re grateful to be working with partners on this project that will hopefully have a positive impact on the local ecosystem and community.”

Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services at the Pembrokeshire County Council, said: “We welcome this funding to enhance the biodiversity in Wallis Pond which can be enjoyed by the residents of Ambleston, the wider communities in Pembrokeshire and the visitors to our fantastic county.

“This is an excellent example of partnership working that has significant benefits for the environment and the wellbeing of generations to come.”

Eirian Forrest, Clerk at the Ambleston Community Council, said: “We are grateful to Nestlé Waters UK for the funding and wish to thank everyone who has been involved in this project, especially the Pembrokeshire County Council team, for pushing the project forwards.

“The Community Council are delighted that the work has finally been done and look forward to the positive impact it will have on biodiversity. We have already received many positive comments from members of the community. The improved pond encourages locals to take a walk around the area, as well as sit down to watch and enjoy the wildlife.”