Young girls reported heightened body dissatisfaction after playing a children's internet game for just 10 minutes, a study has found.

Participants 😄 were then instructed to select the silhouette of a body shape which most closely represented their own, and the one 😄 most desirable to them. Both groups recorded a preference for a slimmer figure but children who had played Dream Date

Dress 😄 Up registered a 'significantly' greater preference for a thinner body than those who had played Penguin Diner.

Dr Slater, who worked 😄 on the study with colleagues Emma Halliwell and Hannah Jarman, said: "This is concerning because we know that girls who 😄 have body dissatisfaction at a young age are more likely to experience ongoing concerns when they grow up. Body dissatisfaction 😄 is known to be a risk factor for lowered self-esteem, disordered eating and depression.

She said: "It's useful for parents to 😄 be aware of the types of messages children are being exposed to. Lots of parents may not realise these messages 😄 are prevalent in game websites like this. It would also be useful to see more societal level changes, with improved 😄 regulation, and ideally game makers creating games which are appealing to young girls without containing these types of messages. We 😄 would welcome a discussion with the creators of these games.