Body shaming can create lifelong problems, but who’s doing it may surprise you.

“Our body image plays a huge role in how we all feel about ourselves,” says Alexis Conason, a psychologist specializing in overeating and body image in New York City who does research at Mt. Sinai Medical Center. She says youths are developing their sense of self and body shaming can warp self-image and launch eating disorders and serious physical and psychological problems, including mood disorders and anxiety.