Love Island ad breaks ‘are mental health risk’
COSMETIC surgery firms advertising during love Island are damaging the mental health of young women, the head of the Nhs has warned.
simon stevens, chief executive of Nhs England, said explicit adverts for breast implants in breaks during the popular ITV2 show are fuelling body image issues.
‘look at the adverts that are being shown alongside love Island,’ he said. ‘you have got explicit ads aiming at young women around breast – cosmetic – surgery.
‘That is all playing into a set of pressures around body image.’ Appearing on BBC1’s Andrew Marr show yesterday, Mr stevens singled out the show in a discussion of the impact social media and advertising can have on young people’s mental health.
his comments follow a string of concerns over the controversial show, which sees scantily- clad contestants pitted against each other to find love.
some of its stars have spoken openly about cosmetic procedures they have undergone – ranging from breast implants to botox – while cosmetic surgery chain MyA has advertised during programme breaks and used the show’s hashtag to promote its clinics on Twitter.
The Mental health Foundation said the adverts were ‘harmful’ to young people. ITV said all adverts it broadcasts adhere to UK Code of Broadcast Advertising, while MyA did not respond to requests for comment.