General
Kids Help Phone – tips to support young people with body image
Kids Help Phone is an organization that offers 24/7 confidential mental health support to Canadian youth. Tips to support young people with body image is a resource for educators, parents, and school health professionals to facilitate open and informed conversations with youth about body image early on and throughout their lives. Strategies shared in this resource include self-reflection, celebrating all bodies, shifting the focus away from appearance and promoting a healthy environment.
Media Smarts – body image resources
Media Smarts provides a variety of digital and media literacy programs and resources to educators and parents so they can help youth develop the critical thinking skills they need for interacting with media, and tackle internet safety concerns in a positive way. Body image resources raises awareness of how the media (i.e., music, film and TV, magazines, video games, toys) construct youth’s perceptions of healthy and attractive bodies.
Mindyourmind – body acceptance
Mindyourmind is a free, online platform that aims to bring mental health, wellness, engagement, and technology together. The body acceptance page features a list of useful tips that are centered around helping people feel comfortable in their own body, especially in the summer. Tips for tackling fatphobia and combatting difficult body image days are also highlighted. Share these tips weekly in the classroom or on school social media accounts.
National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) - Body Activism Guide (Pdf)
NEDA is the largest nonprofit organization that supports individuals and families affected by eating disorders, and serves as a catalyst for prevention, cures, and access to quality care. NEDA offers a variety of resources for body image. The Body Activism Guide includes diverse activities to spark discussion about body diversity and encourage participants to speak up and speak out against unrealistic appearance norms. These activities are suitable for all ages and genders and can be done in the classroom, with friends and families.
National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC) – workshops for high school students
NEDIC provides information, resources, referrals, and support to Canadians affected by eating disorders through toll-free helpline, instant chat, outreach, and education programming. They also offer free online workshops to high school students with the goal of preventing further development and exacerbation of food and body related concerns. Their presentations help students enhance their media literacy skills, reflect on all the values food and exercise brings into their lives, ways to engage in compassionate self-care, and how to support a friend or loved one who may be struggling.
Physical and Health Education (PHE) Canada – healthy bodies education activities
PHE Canada provides activities and resources to support educators in providing students with opportunities to learn about and explore body awareness, healthy and safe relationships, and personal choices about one's body. Resources are provided specific to grades 7-12 on their website.
Ontario
Leads, Grenville, and Lanark District Heath Unit – healthy bodies, healthy minds
The Healthy bodies, healthy minds webpage features resources that promote overall health by addressing mental wellbeing, healthy eating, and physical activity. Youth-friendly fact sheets on each of these health topics provide tips to remain physically and mentally healthy while being comfortable with one's body image. Explore other tools that offer tips to parents and others working with children and teens on how to model healthy behaviors.
Ontario Dietitians in Public Health (ODPH) – Addressing Weight Bias Resources
ODPH is committed to reducing weight bias to promote health and wellbeing for all Ontarians. With this, they have compiled, adapted, and created a list of resources to support public health nutrition messaging that addresses weight bias rather than perpetuates it. These resources cover topics including mental health and weight bias in schools, weight gain while quitting smoking, and weight inclusivity.