Promoting positive body image and tackling overweight/obesity in children and adolescents: A combined health psychology and public health approach

Bray, Isabelle; Slater, Amy; Lewis-Smith, Helena; Bird, Emma; Sabey, Abigail

Abstract

© 2018 Elsevier Inc. This article draws attention to the dual global problems of disordered eating and overweight/obesity among children and adolescents. It is well recognised that the main risk factor for disordered eating is body dissatisfaction, yet public health messages to tackle overweight/obesity are likely to increase body dissatisfaction. This tension between key public health messages and a health psychology approach is examined, with the goal of seeking a common way forward. We focus on the UK as a case study, where there is currently no statutory education in schools on body image. Since more prescriptive guidance on the curriculum covering personal/social/health issues is soon to be introduced, it is timely to consider the content, and in particular its impact on body image as well as overweight/obesity. Having reviewed current interventions and policy, we argue for a more holistic approach to the obesity problem, using a whole school approach to create a body confident culture.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 21, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Aug 23, 2018
• Publication Date: Nov 1, 2018
• Deposit Date: Sep 6, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 24, 2019
• Journal: Preventive Medicine
• Print ISSN: 0091-7435
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 116
• Pages: 219-221
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2018.08.011
• Keywords: childhood obesity, disordered eating, body dissatisfaction, body image
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/856489
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2018.08.011
• Additional Information: Additional Information : This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final published version is available here: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2018.08.011.
• Contract Date: Sep 6, 2018