Body Image at School

Body image is how an individual feels about their body. Having a healthy body image means an individual accepts what they look like without trying to change their body based on what they or others think they should look like.

The Ontario Community Outreach Program for Eating Disorders gives an overview of how schools can effectively address disordered eating by adopting comprehensive, school-wide approaches including: 

1. “adult influencer training with a focus on self-reflection of personal attitudes towards food, weight and shape, as well as weight bias and weight science literacy
2. individual skill building including media literacy to help ward off pressures to conform to appearance ideals
3. ways to create supportive environments, free of weight-based bullying”

Many children and youth struggle with their body image because of factors like social media, other types of media, societal expectations, peer pressure, and bullying.

The school environment plays a large role in youth learning more about themselves as well as their development. School can provide students with a sense of belonging and access to supportive relationships with trusted adults, which are both protective factors for resilience in youth. 

Research shows that teaching students about eating disorders is not effective in changing their eating behaviours and can be harmful as it glamorizes certain concerning eating behaviours.

For additional information related to body image, please visit our school-focused pages on mental health, sexual health, and healthy eating.