Group 5

Campaign material that will help promote positive

body image and healthy lifestyle
What is a Positive Body Image?
In simple terms, body image is:

“…the perception that a person has of their physical self and the thoughts and feelings
that result from that perception.” (National Eating Disorders Collaboration)

As this definition shows, body image isn’t just one unidimensional construct. It’s made
up of four aspects:

1 Perceptual body image: how you see your body

2 Affective body image: how you feel about your body
3 Cognitive body image: how you think about your body
4 Behavioral body image: the way you behave as a result of your perceptual, affective,
and cognitive body image (NEDC, 2017)
When your body image is positive, you are able to accept, appreciate, and respect
your body (NEDC, n.d.). You won’t necessarily avoid feeling any insecurities or think
your body is perfect, but you will be able to acknowledge any insecurities for what
they are and believe that your body is perfect for you.

According to clinical psychologist and faculty member Elizabeth Halsted, there are
three components to having a positive body image, or PBI:

1 Self-esteem: valuing ourselves and believing that others appreciate us and enjoy our
company.
2 A positive attitude: accepting our strengths and our weaknesses, and avoiding three
negative attitudes:
a. Perfectionism: holding ideals or standards that are impossible (or next to
impossible) to achieve.
b. Comparing: making social comparisons with others.
c. Being highly critical or judgmental: the more critical and judgmental we are of
others, the more likely we are to be critical and judgmental of ourselves.
3 Emotional stability: maintaining a healthy connection to our thoughts and feelings
while also being able to share our experiences with others (Halsted, 2016).
Improving your own body image can be hard, but it’s certainly doable. We’ll describe
some exercises and activities you can do to boost your own positive body image, or
PBI, but this list from the National Eating Disorder Collaboration (2017) is full of useful
suggestions on how to be more body positive:

.Focus on your positive qualities, skills, and talents.

.Say positive things to yourself every day (practicing affirmations puts this suggestion
to use)
.Avoid negative or berating self-talk
.Focus on appreciating and respecting what your body can do
.Set positive, health-focused goals rather than weight loss-focused goals.
.Admire the beauty of others, but avoid comparing yourself to anyone else.
.Remind yourself that many media images are unrealistic and unattainable for the vast
majority of people (and even for the subject of the image, thanks to Photoshop!).
What is helthy lifestyle?
healthy lifestyle is a way of living that lowers the risk of being seriously ill or dying
early. Not all diseases are preventable, but a large proportion of deaths, particularly
those from coronary heart disease and lung cancer, can be avoided. Scientific studies
have identified certain types of behaviour that contribute to the development of
noncommunicable diseases and early death. Health is not only just about avoiding
disease. It is also about physical, mental and social wellbeing. When a healthy lifestyle
is adopted, a more positive role model is provided to other people in the family,
particularly children. This booklet aims to help readers change their behaviour and
improve their health in order to live healthier, longer lives

5 examples of healthy life style

1 . Get active each day
Regular physical activity is important for the healthy growth, development and well-
being of children and young people.
They should get at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day, including vigorous
activities that make them ‘huff and puff’.
Include activities that strengthen muscles and bones on at least 3 days of the week.
Parents should be good role models and have a positive attitude to being active.
2. Choose water as a drink
Water is the best way to quench your thirst – and it doesn’t come with the added
sugar found in fruit juices, soft drinks and other sweetened drinks.
Reduced fat milk for children over two is a nutritious drink and a great source of
calcium.
Give kids whole fruit to eat, rather than offering fruit juices that have a lot of sugar.
3. Eat more fruit and vegetables
Eating fruit and vegetables every day helps children grow and develop, boosts their
vitality and can reduce the risk of many chronic diseases.
Aim to eat two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetables every day.
Have fresh fruit available as a convenient snack and try to include fruit and vegies in
every meal.
4. Switch off the screen and get active
Sedentary or ‘still’ time spent watching TV, surfing online or playing computer games is
linked to kids becoming overweight or obese.
Children and young people should spend no more than two hours a day on ‘small
screen’ entertainment. Break up long periods of use as often as possible.
Plan a range of active indoor and outdoor games or activities for your children, as
alternatives to watching TV or playing on the computer.
5. Eat fewer snacks and select healthier alternatives
Healthy snacks help children and young people meet their daily nutritional needs.
Snacks based on fruit and vegetables, reduced fat dairy products and whole grains are
the healthiest choices.
Avoid snacks that are high in sugar or saturated fats – such as chips, cakes and
chocolate – which can cause children to put on excess weight.