Body image and self-esteem

Not yet. Education around body image is still an optional topic in schools, usually only instigated by teachers with a personal interest or when an issue presents itself. Therefore we need body image education to become a higher priority within schools, communities and government in order to encourage a systematic approach. Teachers also often feel ill-equipped to deal with these issues in the classroom, and so it’s vital that we provide schools and teachers with appropriate evidence-based resources to support effective intervention.

Explicit teaching on this subject helps young people build their self-confidence, providing them with new tools to respond to adversity. For example, improved media literacy enables young people to critically analyse the messages that are promoted in the media, and therefore reduces the amount they “buy in” and any resulting dissatisfaction. I believe it’s vital that we teach such skills at a young age: it’s already a time of key learning and a critical period to intervene before significant health and wellbeing issues set in.