Given how much time young people spend at school, the school environment plays a pivotal role in the prevention and early identification of body image concerns and eating disorders. Many schools have identified body image as a critical issue for their students, and are taking proactive steps to improve body image as part of their wellbeing strategy.
When most people think about the potential for schools to be involved in building better body image, they think about the lessons that teachers deliver in health classes. While these lessons are critical in reaching all students, there are many other things that schools can do to support their students’ wellbeing. By embedding lessons in health classes, delivering targeted prevention programs and creating welcoming school cultures free from bullying and body shaming, schools can promote improved body image and relationships with food and movement. In doing so, teachers can also identify and provide support to students at risk of body image concerns and disordered eating behaviours.
The importance of schools in addressing body image and eating disorders
Schools are one of the most influential environments in young peoples’ lives. They provide a structured setting where students spend a significant amount of their time, making them an ideal place for the implementation of programs that can support their wellbeing. It’s also the place where most young people interact with their peers and friends, who impact each other’s body image more and more throughout adolescence.
The classroom and curriculum
Body image lessons that are embedded in the classroom curriculum – usually in Health and Physical Education, served as universal prevention programs – are designed to reach all students. These programs promote positive body image and enhance knowledge about food, nutrition and physical literacy across the entire school population.
We are now so fortunate in Australia to have universal body image programs that have been tested and found to be effective, or to do no harm for young people, that are ready for teachers to implement across all year levels. These programs, from a range of organisations, include:
- Early learning to Year 2: Body Blocks by Embrace Kids
Building better body image from the beginning starts with early learning educators and teachers. There are 7 Body Blocks modules, all under 5 minutes each, that can be accessed online in your own time. These brief, engaging video modules aim to share practical information so that early childhood educators can go back out onto the floor, role model positive attitudes and behaviours, and support children aged 0-8 to develop positive relationships with food, movement and their bodies. You can access it for free here.
- Primary school: Butterfly Body Bright
Butterfly Body Bright is a strength-based, evidence-informed body image program, developed by the Butterfly Foundation that takes a whole-school approach. Designed to be integrated into Australian primary schools, it provides resources and support to teachers and their broader school community. The program aims to promote healthy attitudes and behaviours towards the body, eating and physical activity in children, so they can thrive at school and in life. You can find more information here.
- Primary and secondary school, Years 5-8: Embrace Kids Classroom Program
Targeted to Years 5-6 and 7-8, the Embrace Kids Classroom Program provides everything that teachers need to bring the best of the EMBRACE KIDS film to their classroom. Program materials include 5 lesson plans for teachers to embed in HPE or wellbeing classes, evidence-informed classroom activities aligned to the national curriculum, and all of the videos, slides and worksheets teachers need. You can access it for free here.
- Secondary school: Butterfly Body Kind Schools
Body Kind Schools is an initiative from the Butterfly Foundation, designed to align with Body Image and Eating Disorders Awareness Week in September. Free learning activities have been developed for young people in late primary and secondary school (11-18 year olds) and other youth settings to help schools create environments that foster body confidence for all. You can find more information here.
- Secondary school: Media Smart
Media Smart is an evidence-based 8-lesson media literacy program for students in late primary school or early high school. It was developed by Dr Simon Wilksch at Flinders University, and is suitable for teachers to use in a range of classes, including English, study of society, home economics, physical education, pastoral care and home group. You can find more information here.
It’s not just about what we add in…
When we talk to educators about creating school environments that can help build better body image, many focus on what they need to add in, i.e. the curriculum programs described above. However, what we take out of the taught curriculum is just as important.
There are many activities that have been used to teach young people about food and nutrition in the past. While these were well-intended, they can actually lead to feelings of shame for many young people, and – for those who are vulnerable – could trigger or exacerbate disordered eating behaviours.
In 2023, I worked with Kylie Burton and Jane Rowan from Eating Disorders Families Australia to advocate for changes to the Australian Curriculum that led to the publication of the Curriculum Connection: Food and Wellbeing resource. It is really important that educators and schools review what is taught about bodies, food and weight, across all key learning areas, and ensure that there are no activities that could be problematic in terms of body image or relationships with food. For more information on the evidence behind what to avoid (and why), access the Creating Safe School Environments resource and utilise the Every Body in Every School Toolkit by Inspiro Health.
Supporting students at risk and targeted programs
Teachers and school staff often observe students on a daily basis, putting them in a prime position to notice early signs of body image concerns and eating disorders. Teachers care so deeply for their students and notice changes in their behaviour, but don’t necessarily know what to do when they suspect students are engaging in problematic health behaviours – this is where targeted programs can be helpful.
Targeted eating disorder prevention programs aim to engage young people who are already showing signs of being at higher risk of body image concerns and eating disorders. These programs provide additional support and resources to those who need it most, generally in wellbeing settings.
The Body Project is a 4-session program developed by professors in the US that has been rigorously tested over the past 20 years. This program is delivered by expert peer facilitators to small groups of students aged 14 years and older, who are already demonstrating signs of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviours. Research has found that eating disorder onset was prevented in 3 out of 4 young adult women who completed the program. We are trialling virtual delivery of this program, and Eating Disorders Victoria is able to deliver it in person to schools in Victoria.
I Am Media Smart is a program for young people with body image concerns who may already be showing signs of disordered eating. Young people of any gender can access the program modules online and at their own pace. This is an online version of Media Smart, developed by Dr Simon Wilksch at Flinders University, and there is a lot of research to indicate that this program can prevent eating disorder development.
Professional development for educators
Training teachers and school staff to ensure that their language and teaching activities are supportive for students is essential for creating school cultures and environments that allow students to thrive. Most of the time, we tend to find that there are one or two really passionate champions in each school – and if you are reading this, that is probably you!
Spreading the word across your whole school (and to colleagues who are less interested in this space) can be a challenge. To address this, we have created a 20-minute Teacher Masterclass – a video that you can watch on your own, send to colleagues and/or show in an all-staff meeting to get everyone up to speed on what to say and what to do to support students to build better body image. You can access it for free here.
Educators and schools play a crucial role in supporting student wellbeing, and everything we hear indicates that you are ready and willing to help your students build better body image. We are here to support you with the tools and resources you need to do what you do best – caring for, and educating, the young people you work with! By implementing universal and targeted prevention programs, your school can create a supportive environment that promotes healthy body image and eating behaviours, in ways that enable students to achieve optimal physical and mental health and wellbeing.
To stay in the loop with all our programs, resources and advice, sign up to our mailing list here.
