Importance of talking about body image
It is essential to talk about body image especially to young teens and early adults because of the pressures and social norms that they encounter. There is an importance of being able to define your body in a positive way. Because of many different factors that contribute to having a certain body type, weighing a certain amount, and feeling a certain way, social environments can become toxic to those struggling to obtain a specific shape.
According to the organization The Ticker by Angelica Tejada, the issues of obtaining a certain body image lead to eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia. Reinforcing the idea of healthy eating habits and exercise allows young teenagers and adults to erase the idea of being a certain weight and looking “normal.”
Sarah Lombardi, a registered dietitian nutritionist who has been involved with The Body Positive for over a decade speaks on body representation. She focused on this type of work because she found the importance of positive embodiment, which is how an individual sees themselves from the rest of the world. She highlights the necessity of finding ways to feel good, present, and attuned to your own body and feelings.
Appearance is a common worry for many young people. Body image is measured in different ways such as appearance, weight, and foods someone consumes. A survey of 11-16-year-olds found that 79% said appearance is essential to them and over half worry about how they look.
Daffen Perrez who has published an article on diversity in education has highlighted the importance of diversity among students. Perrez says that more diversity and acceptance lead to an increase in performance in areas such as concentration. Overall, this allows students to be aware of everyone’s differences and creates an environment that isn’t toxic.
The topic of body image in the school curriculum
Educating students on body positivity minimizes results of body dissatisfaction which could then lead to eating issues, low self-esteem, social issues, and mental inabilities like decreased motivation. If families are not promoting body positivity, and educating their children on healthy eating habits then who will inform them? That is where their schools step in to educate them!
The National Organization for Women states that “At age thirteen, 53% of American girls are “unhappy with their bodies,” and this grows to 78% by the time girls reach seventeen.”
Tejada emphasizes the importance of diverse body representation allowing for the portrayal of body image in magazines, and books to only be positive and uplifting. The author of Including Body Image in School Curriculums Benefits Children states the negative source that social media has on body types.
Lombardi mentions the need for school curriculums to implement this topic because of the rampant amount of individuals suffering from eating disorders, in addition to social media making their problems worse. She says that the stigma for middle and high school students is to look a certain way after seeing social media posts that are “popular and trending.” For instance, this includes skinny women doing yoga and drinking green smoothies.
She describes that, “Back in the day, I would compare myself to movie stars and influencers that I didn’t even know, but now because of social media and high internet access we are comparing ourselves to girls in our social circle.” She then goes on to talk about how she had worked directly with teenagers at a community center who struggled with eating disorders.
The Mental Health Foundation in the UK shares, “Young people also tell us that body image is a substantial concern, with 16–25-year-olds identifying it as the third biggest challenge currently causing harm to young people.”
In summary, being able to talk about body image, appearance, and healthy eating is important because without discussions it can lead to severe mental instability and behavioral habits.
Feedback from a dietician perspective
Although Lombardi does not have many social media accounts, she sees the benefits but also knows the consequences of it. She believes that social media stigmatizes body image and creates a falsehood about how people should look. Because of its sensitive topic in today’s society, she believes that talking about it and educating people is the most important. She further goes on to mention the falseness of the unrealistic body ideas that kids, teens, and adults post.
She wants to share that The Body Positive has just released a curriculum-based lesson on body image that wellness educators can purchase. This allows schools to educate students in an orderly and educational way. Body Positive offers young people to go through the training program and potentially become facilitators to teach and approach this concept in meaningful conversations.
Finally, Paige Hadsall makes an important point about how diversity and inclusion have progressed, however, there remain significant statistics that show a lack of diversity in the workplace, educational settings, and locations around the United States. Ensuring that body positivity is included for all genders, races, and sexual orientations, could ultimately bring a happier, safe, and welcoming community!
