Beacon Schools Project - Planning Guide Level 7

Principal developer: Jenny Robertson, Health Education Consultant

Unit of Work: Body Image (as a mental health issue)

Links to Achievement Standards: These activities will help prepare students for assessment against:
AS 90326 Health 2.1 Examine and adolescent health issue, and AS90327 Health 2.2 Examine aspects
of Mental Health. They will also help prepare students for assessment against AS90328 Health 2.3
Develop, describe and implement a plan of action to enhance hauora/well-being, if body image is used
as the issue on which to take action.

Links to Unit standards: These activities will help prepare students for assessment against: Health
Education 14259 Level 3 Investigate the social construction of body image and impact on well-being,
and may help prepare students for assessment against Health Education 14265 Level 2 Demonstrate
understanding of a healthy school and Health Education 14266 Level 3 Use health promotion to
present an aspect of school or community well-being.

Notes to the Teacher

It is recommended that the unit on Sexuality and Gender precede this unit. Other key points to
consider:
1. Culture
Culture in the context of body image is inclusive of ethnic, youth, religious, music, city, rural or other
geographical difference – anything that groups people because of their attitudes, beliefs, points of
connection, behaviours, lifestyle etc.
2. Realistic outcomes of body image education
While it is unlikely that classroom education alone will change well-entrenched attitudes or behaviours
about body image, teachers can educate young people to challenge and critically analyse what they see
and hear, especially in the media.
3. Eating disorders
Current thinking in health education recommends that teachers do not engage students in lengthy
discussions on eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. The deficit/disease focus is not the intent of
this “well-being” curriculum. You won’t stop students raising the issue, but (as with suicide) steer the
thinking back to healthy ideals – balanced eating, positive ideas about the self, challenging attitudes
and behaviours that undermine this, help-seeking for students in distress and so on. Have a selection of
helping resources/references available – the counsellor’s name, literature recommended by the school
counsellor or that of a local eating disorders support group like EDEN (Auckland). (See also the article
First do no harm by Jennifer O’Dea). It can be useful to refer to “patterns of disordered eating” which
is inclusive of a wide range of unhealthy eating patterns without having to be specific about
diagnosable eating disorders.
4. Clichés
In addition avoid giving trite clichéd messages like “it’s what’s on the inside that counts” and “beauty
is only skin deep” or “you can never be too rich or too thin”. If anything, it may be useful to explore
how (un)helpful such clichés are.

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5. Assessment
It is assumed that the achievement standards will be used for the summative assessment for
qualification purposes. The assessment specifications (see www.ncea.govt.nz) will guide teachers as to
which achievement standard will be more applicable in the year of assessment. Possible formative
assessment opportunities are provided in the form of a “learning journal”. Ideas for these are indicated
in the unit plan and the activities. It is recommended that teachers maximise their class time for
interactive learning approaches and use the worksheets and writing activities more as homework
allowing students to consolidate and reflect on their learning.

Links to the Curriculum

Key Area of Learning: Mental Health
Underlying concepts: Hauora: This unit of work explores how the issue of body image impacts on all
dimensions of hauora at both personal and societal levels. A major focus is placed on taha
hinengaro/mental and emotional well-being and the issue is explored primarily in context of the Mental
Health Key area of Learning.
Health promotion: Students may wish to plan and implement strategies related
to improving an aspect of body image in the school as a health promotion initiative.
Socio-ecological perspective: The influences on body image are explored at
both a personal and societal level, with particular emphasis being placed on the social construction of
this concept. This includes the influence of culture; media; family and peers; sports, fashion and
weight-loss/body building industries.
Attitudes and values: Through examination of the societal influences on body
image students will identify relevant social justice issues and develop concern for others in society who
are affected by the negative consequences of an unhealthy body image. In addition, they will also
identify their own values in relation to body image and are encouraged to adopt a positive regard for
their own well-being in relation to body image.

Recommended Resources
As best you can, identify material that is relevant to both males and females – a great deal of material is
very female focused. The resource pack, available as a supplement to this unit, contains a few research
articles to support parts of the teaching programme. These are primarily for teacher information but
extracts may be useful to use during teaching.

Published resources, books and articles

• Shaping up was produced by the Eating Disorders Association over 10 years ago. Some of the
material is still relevant and can easily be linked with the curriculum.
• Everybody belongs - Body Image, Ministry of Education (2000), is one of The Curriculum in
Action series, for years 4-6. It contains some useful ideas which can be extended for older students.
• Real Gorgeous by Kaz Cooke, is a very popular reading book on body image for girls (published by
Allen &Unwin, Australia, 1994 and reprinted 1997). The CD ROM Totally Gorgeous has the text
from the book plus some interactive games, which have a little more scope for a male audience.
• Video Education Australia (VEA) who regularly send catalogues to schools have a number of
purpose-developed body image education videos and documentaries that screen on TV
internationally

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• Capetola, T. & Sheehan, M. (1999), Getting Gorgeous - Deakin University
www.hbs.deakin.edu.au/gorgeous/ is a new Australian resource for girls
• The Curriculum in Action book, Making Meaning Making a Difference is due to be in schools in
mid 2003. See the “Body friendly schools” activity.
• Ministry of Health pamphlets on nutritional guidelines for adolescents, skin piercing, body image –
check www.moh.govt.nz for the latest versions
• The Queensland School Curriculum Council website www.qscc.qld.edu.au has a body image
module for level 6 that contains a number of focus questions to explore issues (some of these have
been used in the activities following).
• Lifesize research project published by the North Shore Women’s Centre (Auckland)

Professional reading for teachers

• The body snatchers – how the media shapes women by Cyndi Tebbel, Finch Publishing, Sydney
(2000)
• Body image – understanding body dissatisfaction in men, women and children by Sara Grogan
Routledge, London (1999)
• Deadly persuasion – why women and girls must fight the addictive power of advertising by Jean
Kilbourne, The Free Press, New York (1999)
• The Adonis Complex by HG Pope Jnr, KA Phillips & R Olivardia, The Free Press, New York (2000)
see chapter 8 on boys body image.

Material to collect
We recommend that prior to any body image work, you make a collection of a variety of current media
material to support your lessons eg. magazines that the students read, music video clips, documentaries
and other programmes from TV. The rapid change of fashion trends and the media images that promote
these means this resource base needs constant updating.

Websites to visit
(See also Cyndi Tebbel’s book p169-170 for more websites – these tend to have a predominantly female
focus but some have scope for boys as well)
www.about-face.org has on-line examples of ads deemed helpful and unhelpful for promoting healthy
body image
www.ophira.com/adiosbarbie
www.bust.com (has many other links)
www.extrahip.com
www.eskimo.com/~largesse
www.naafa.org and www.cswd.org two websites focusing on size discrimination
www.radiancemagazine.com
www.riotgrrl.com
www.sizewise.com
www.urge.org.nz - a mental health support site for young New Zealanders

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Prior Learning
It is expected that students will have experienced a diversity of learning opportunities exploring
concepts of mental health and sexuality. Students will also need to have participated in a range of
activities exploring the determinants of health (see The Curriculum in Action: Making Meaning
Making a Difference, due in schools in mid 2003) as a precursor to considering body image as a
socially constructed concept, not as an individual mental health ‘problem’.

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Unit Plan: Body Image
AO & Learning Outcomes Processes/Activities/Strategies Assessment
Level opportunities
6/7A4 Students will explore Diagnostic/scene setting work (2 lessons) Select from: Formative Assessment
differences between • Body Parts Postbox (see instructions following - adapted from Learning journal entry
male and female Shaping up) summarising
ideas and ideals about • Collages of male and female “ideals” taken from magazines with similarities and
body image analysis of what males and females perceive to be the ideal for their differences between
own gender and then what they see as “ideal” for the opposite gender – male and female ideals
7A4 Students will explore note that this “ideal” may not just be about size and shape but other of self and opposite sex
7C2 beliefs about size and aspects of appearance such as clothing, skin piercing (tattoos and body
appearance in New piercing), hair (both head and body) Personal writing about
Zealand society • Group posters/collages showing who and what is in fashion – actors, what is personally
musicians, clothing, hairstyles, body adornments, accessories etc important to me and
WHY
• “Preferred images” (adapted from the Lifesize research – see activities
following)
• “Miss World and Mr Universe” (adapted from the Lifesize research –
see activities following)

Keep any visual material or statistical data generated from these activities
available for use later in the unit of work
6/7A4 Explore the concept Exploration of “body image” (2-3 lessons): Formative Assessment
of “body image” and • Use the definitions provided (see following pages) and others (perhaps Entry in learning
“social construction” found on websites) to unpack what the terms “body image” and “social journal noting down a
of body image construction of body image” mean. definition, and a
• Class brainstorm what they believe are the major influences on body statement about the
7A4 Explore a range of image based on the definitions and other information available. meaning of the term,
7C2 influences on body Consider each of; societal influences (media, fashion, culture etc), and completion of the
image and the healthy interpersonal influences (friends, peers and family) and personal reflection questions
and less healthy influences (i.e. personal beliefs, attitudes and values, sexuality) (see following pages)
impact these can have • Discuss ways in which body image ideas impact on each dimension of
on the hauora/well- hauora.
being of individuals
• Discuss ways in which body image ideas contribute to an individuals
and society
sense of identity and why this might be significant during adolescence

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 • Use some of the discussion questions on the following pages to
summarise discussion points
Class survey Class survey results and
• Collectively agree to a small number of key questions that can be safely analysis to be included
asked of other teenagers in the school about body image issues arising in journal along with
from exploration so far in the unit (stick to questions about attitudes comparisons to other
influenced by society rather than very personal questions about research
individual beliefs and behaviours); each student interviews ~5 other
students, data is brought back to class and summarised. Data may be
quantitative (numerical) or qualitative in which the main themes
emerging are reported
• Compare class data with any available literature or video material eg
“Real Gorgeous” or “The Body Snatchers” (girls), “The Adonis
Complex” (boys) and articles supplied as a supplement to this
programme – discuss any similarities and differences
6/7A4 Critically analyse Media (1-2 lessons). Select one or more of the following (see critical Formative Assessment
7C2 media messages analysis questions following for discussion to summarise the activities): Select from:
about body image • Visit www.about-face.org (or any others listed) – What is the purpose Individually make a
of this website and do you agree with what they are saying – Why/why “bumper sticker” that
not? uses media images and
• Select a number of popular magazines aimed at a particular audience headlines in a way not
e.g. young women’s magazines like Cleo, Cosmopolitan; women’s necessarily intended in
weekly semi-tabloid type magazines – Woman’s Day, Women’s the original publication,
Weekly, New Idea; men’s magazine like Ralph and FHM: high fashion to describe one health
magazines like Vogue, Fashion Quarterly; youth/young adult culture enhancing body image
magazines like Arena, The Face, Pulp, Pavement; sports magazines like message. Display in a
Fitness etc (alternatively a broad cross section could be used). Analyse public place in the
they type of images pictured in these publications – draw conclusions school.
about what messages this magazine appears to be presenting about
body image and what young people might take from this (analysis Write a critique of the
questions are included in the following pages). [This activity may website/magazine
dovetail with the collage work above] selection/other
• Collect all the articles from one publication eg. a magazine, a publication suitable for
newspaper (see example in activities following), or note down all the publishing in the school
ads during a particular youth market TV programme. Analyse as above newspaper about the

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 using questions following. body image messages
• Identify all the popular TV programmes watched by young people – inherent within the
particularly comedy and drama (more so than the reality TV type images and articles
programmes), analyse the diversity of characters based on their
appearance – size, clothing etc, as related to their character and their Take a selection of the
behaviour. Who are promoted as the more desirable and popular analysis questions from
characters? the lesson and record
• Girl’s and boys’ toys … Barbie vs Action Man (see activity idea responses to these in
following) journal
From this point on, select a combination of activities that meet the health
and learning needs of the students, engage student interest, and explore
topical issues. Selection may also need to be based on those activities that
can be adequately resourced
Investigate body Historical perspectives of body image
image trends in Optional (1 lesson) (see activity idea following)
history
7A1 Examine links Body image and sexuality (see sexuality unit)
7A4 between body image Optional at this point, may be done as part of sexuality and gender topic.
and sexuality Some of the activities from Social and ethical issues in sexuality education
– sections 1&2 eg. “what it means to be male/female” might be useful here.
It is recommended that the sexuality and gender unit is done before body
image
7A1 Explore ways their Body image and personal identity (extended), using interpersonal skills
identity includes to promote a healthy body image
attitudes and beliefs Optional (1 lesson)
about body image From QSCC module – see following activities
Values continuum
7C2 Express with Responding to situations
(6C3) confidence, using
positive language,
ideas about their own
and others body
image/individuality

6/7C3 Demonstrate the use

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 of assertiveness and
other interpersonal
skills that promote
acceptance of
diversity of body
appearance (of self
and others)
7C2 Explore the impact of Body image and discrimination and/or body image and disability Use a selection of
stereotyping and Optional 1 lesson questions from the lists
discrimination • Visit one or more size discrimination websites listed in the resources. following and
because of currently Describe the sort of situations that lead to size discrimination and the summarise the main
accepted body image consequences of it. Draw parallels, or seek evidence of New Zealand ideas emerging from
ideals examples of size discrimination these in the learning
• Disability and body image – View a film or documentary about a journal.
7A4 Describe ways in person living with a physical “difference”/disability – real or
7C2 which society perceived/deformity who is confronted with stereotyping and OR write an account of
promotes particular discrimination issues or learns to manage living with difference despite what it was like for
body image ideals adversity. people portrayed in the
• Body image and disability discussion question ideas have been documentary, film or
included in earlier questions – see following pages website with reference
to their appearance and
the way other people
treated them.
6/7A1 Examine the Body image and the connection with food related attitudes and Create a small poster
relationship between behaviours that challenges a
attitudes and Optional (1 lesson) popular food related
understandings about Identify a range of popular (mis)conceptions about food and body body image myth (use
food and body image size/shape. See activity idea following one on the list or others
OR read and critique Chapter 2 “Weight for me” Real Gorgeous by Kaz identified by the
Cooke students)

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Various Investigate a range of Individual research topic and seminar (1-2 lessons with homework) Investigation findings
depending behaviours related to Topics could include: to be presented as a 5
on focus achieving an “ideal” • Changing eating habits eg. reduced kilojoule intake (“dieting”), use of minute seminar
eg. 7A3 body image body building powders and increasing food intake to bulk up
OR • Smoking and other substance use (eg. different attitudes to type of Each student records
Identify ways people alcohol drunk by males and females, do boys smoke to avoid eating main points of seminar
change their body like many girls do?) in journal – see format
appearance • The role of exercise in body image in activity following
(permanently and
• Tattooing (ethnic or western tradition)
temporarily) and the
reasons for this • Body piercing
• Hair removal – males and females
Contribute Make health • Acne and acne treatments
to 6/7D2 enhancing • Appearance medicine eg. collagen injections, skin peels, acne
depending recommendations treatments, cosmetic surgery (face lifts, breast augmentation,
on focus related to the area of liposuction etc)
investigation • Other

Individuals or pairs of students each select a different topic, research main

points (see structure on following pages) and prepare a short seminar
presentation with visuals if possible
The investigation needs to consider both personal and societal aspects of
the topic.
6/7D1-4 Take collective action Health Promotion Action Optional (completed over ~2 terms) Summative
depending to promote health Curriculum in Action: Making Meaning Making a Difference – years 11-13 assessment Activities
on focus body image messages see the “Body friendly schools” activity. This resource is due to be in will help prepare
in the school schools in mid 2003. students for assessment
community against AS90328
Health 2.3 Develop,
describe and implement
a plan of action to
enhance hauora/well-
being

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Activities

The following pages are referred to in the Unit Plan: Body Image. They contain activity
instructions, questions for discussion and ideas for student learning journals.

Diagnostic Activities

1. Body Parts Postbox (adapted from Shaping Up)

Write the names of the following body parts on the board. This list may need to be negotiated with the
students to determine what they deem “important” to include: hair, face, breasts/chest, arms, hands,
stomach, hips, thighs, bottom, legs, and feet.
Each student needs as many small pieces of paper as there are body parts.
• On each piece they write “M” if they are male and “F” if they are female.
• They then write “yes’, “no” or “sort of” in response to the question “Do you like that part of your
body?”
• Lastly each person writes WHY they DO or DON’T like this part of their body (this is not just a
question for those who DON’T, but also for those who DO)

Process the postbox and report findings back to class, noting particularly male and female differences
and reasons given.
Relate these findings back to previous activities or refer to them again during subsequent activities
(particularly any discussion around influences and perceived “ideals”). Note the results in the learning
journal.

2. “Preferred” images (adapted from the Lifesize research by the North Shore Women’s Centre)
[This requires some preparation!]
Collect a variety of magazines and cut out pictures of very posed or modelled photographs AND very
natural photographs (no models – i.e. real people) both females (probably the easier pictures to get!)
and males as follows:
• Two friends/group having fun
• A family
• A sportsperson
• A parent – a mother/father with a child
• A business person
and
• A plus sized model (=average and above) and a slim model, modelling clothes

Stick both the posed image and the natural image on the same sheet of paper. Have separate sheets for
the female images and the male images.
As a postbox, graffiti sheet or pass-the-paper exercise, ask:
• Which photograph do you prefer?
• WHY?
Summarise/process collected data and report back to class.
Discuss the balance of preferred images – how many posed, how many natural? Why do you think the
majority chose xxx etc.?
What is this telling us about our acceptance of ourselves and other people?
3. Miss World and Mr Universe (adapted from the Lifesize research by the North Shore Women’s
Centre)
Locate a picture of a reasonably young, confident looking, large woman (eg. Radiance or Bella
magazine), preferably in a swimsuit or an evening gown, and a similar photo of a larger man.
[Optional] Similarly obtain a photo of Miss World/Miss Universe and Mr Universe (and Mr Puni-verse
if you can find one).

Either as a quick postbox, pass-the-paper or graffiti sheets ask the following questions about each
person:
• What are your first impressions of this person?
• How do you think this person feels about his/herself?
• How does this person make you feel?
• Where do you think your views originate from?

Debrief:
• Of which sex can you name more successful large people? Why do you think this is?
• How stereotyped were the responses overall? If they were very stereotyped - where do you think we
get this from?
• What was the first name you learnt to call someone as a put-down? (Chances are this was a size
related name for westerners). Where did you learn that?
• Where do you think the size-discrimination comes from in our society?
• Which societies are more protected/not influenced by size discrimination? (Note that people
migrating into a western society tend to get caught into this within a generation or two)

Alternative activity
As an alternative, the following activity can work if it’s done quickly, not allowing students time to
think in any depth or get too politically correct. Students will tend to give a whole raft of gender and
size stereotyped responses, however, this may vary depending on the ethnicity and dominant culture of
the group.

Part A: Going for a job

• Sketch a series of basic figures on the board – one slim male, one large male, one slim female, and
one large female.
• Present the scenario that these people are all applying for a job in a modern cutting edge
corporation. On paper they are all equally qualified.
• Ask the class:
Who do you think will probably be judged most on their appearance (even if it’s not said out loud at
the interview) – males/females, larger/smaller person? (Try to determine the size and sex of the
most “labelled” person.)
Who will probably be judged the least on their appearance?
Do you think males of females are judged more on their appearance? Why?

Part B: What job do they do?

• Focus on the two larger figures on the board:
• Indicate the larger woman. Present the situation - you see this woman walking down the main street
at lunchtime, she is dressed in a suit.
• Ask the class (allow 2-3 responses for each and record around the figure):
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 What do you think her job is?
Describe her personality
What about her personal habits?
How intelligent is she?
What sort of relationships does she have?
How much money does she make?
• Repeat for the male figure.
• Ask the class to:
Note any male - female differences.
Name some successful larger men and women. What roles/characters do large people often play in
TV comedies, dramas and in films?
• Debrief as above

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Exploration of “Body Image” Concept Activities

1. Body image definitions

For the purpose of this unit of work, body image is being considered as a mental health issue and could
be defined as:

a person’s perceptions, thoughts and feelings about his or

her body
(Sarah Grogan, 1999, p.1)

body images themselves are complex constructions that

cannot be traced from a single source, whether the source
be physiological, social or cultural or psychical. This
means that while our sex, race, gender, social class, age,
family, religion, ethnicity and day-to-day experiences all
contribute significantly to the formation of our body
images, no one of them alone plays a determinative role in
their construction.
(Gail Weiss, 2000 p.167)

2. Questions for critical analysis

Teachers are recommended to select and adapt questions from these lists as part of class discussion to
explore body image issues. A selection could be used as the basis for entries in the student’s learning
journal. Most have come from or been inspired by the questions in the Queensland School Curriculum
Council (QSCC) module

Body image and identity/hauora

• How is each dimension of hauora linked to body image OR how do body image issues impact
on each dimensions of hauora? Try to identify at least 3 examples for each dimension.
• How do body image issues impact on the hauora of groups eg. all teenagers, and the whole of
society?
• How are these links to/impacts on hauora inter-related?
• How is our identity linked to our body image?
• How do ideas about masculinity and femininity appear to influence what we think about body
image?
• How does the media appear to influence our identity (overall)?
• Which form of media appears to send the strongest messages about body image (and identity)?
• What other aspects of society reinforce or contradict these media messages?

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• How do our interactions with others (friends and wider peer group, family etc) influence our
body image (and identity)?
• Is everyone influenced by all these factors in the same way? Why/why not?

The “ideal” body

• How does society reward people with an “ideal” body shape? Think of both short and long term
rewards.
• How does this make you feel if you do not fit the “ideal” body shape?
• Who/what perpetuates ideas about the “ideal” body shape? (Who benefits from promoting an
“ideal” body image?)
• Do unrealistic images about body sizes and shapes affect our relationships with others? Eg. are
we more critical or judgmental of others, are we more likely to stereotype and discriminate
against others?
• What is a realistic body image? Where is this information coming from? How easy is it to really
believe this at a personal level? What gets in the way (if anything)?
• How can we challenge the idea of the “ideal” body to allow for genuine acceptance of
difference?

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Media Analysis Activities

1. Questions for critical analysis

Teachers are recommended to select and adapt questions from these lists as part of class discussion to
explore media issues. They could be used to summarise a number of the activities suggested in the unit
plan. A selection of these questions could be used as the basis for entries in the student’s learning
journal
Most have come from or been inspired by the questions in the QSCC module

Media
• What are the dominant images portrayed? (Consider age, sex and gender, size, ethnicity,
presentation, ability, overall appearance)
• What range of images is portrayed?
• What are the features of the dominant female/male stereotype in relation to age, weight,
ethnicity, height, body shape, and social class?
• How do stereotypes of males and females differ (especially as related to “beauty”)?
• How are media images created to place different emphasis on different physical qualities for
females/males eg strength, grace?
• Which images are not represented eg Maori, Pacific Nation, Asian, older/elderly, disabled?
• Which groups are seldom or never presented as “beautiful”? (eg. people with disabilities, non-
dominant ethnic groups, elderly)
• Is this representation typical of our general population?
• What messages are these images telling us about our own body appearance?
• Why do you think images in the media are not often representative of the whole population?
• How does the media fuel our uncertainties about body image?
• How does the media use stereotypes against you?
• What impact does this have on our thoughts, behaviours and actions?
• What action could be taken to challenge these images?

2. Girls and boys toys … Barbie vs action man

Visit a toy store and note down the names of all the dolls marked to boys and girls. Note also the main
features of their physical appearance.
Obtain old photos (in books about dolls) or real dolls from personal collections (as available).
Compare the physical appearance of modern dolls with those from 10, 20, 30+ years ago.

• What has changed?

• What messages do you think children are getting about body shape and appearance from these
dolls?
• Why do you think doll manufacturers make modern dolls like this?
• What messages would you want to give young children about body shape (as related to dolls)?
• Extra: investigate the development of the Body Shop’s “Ruby” doll or other dolls that claim to be
more “realistic”.
See articles in the supplementary resource material that further support this activity.

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Body Shapes in History Activities

(From QSCC module and other sources)

Collect a selection of pictures of male and female body shapes from the present and past that seem to
represent the “ideal” body shape of the time (eg. the 1960s, the 1930-40 – depression and war years,
1900-20, Victorian times and earlier). As an alternative or an extension, collect photos of desirable
body shapes of different ethnic/cultural groups, particularly those represented in your community.

Questions
• What do you notice about the body image trends across time?
• Are there differences for males/females, ages, ethnic backgrounds?
• Who or what appears to determine the ideal body shape at different times throughout history?
• Who benefits and who is disadvantaged by this?
• How does the ideal body shape differ among cultures? Why do you think this is so? Is it even an
issue among other cultures?
• What might be the ideal body shape in 20, 50, 100 years time? Why do you think this?

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Food and Body Image Activities

Body Image and Food Beliefs

Assign small groups of students one of the following beliefs. Their discussion needs to identify:
1. What the ‘problem/s’ is/are with the belief (or the belief behind the behaviour).
2. What the possible consequences of the belief are, if not already identified above.
3. Where these beliefs come from and why are they maintained.
4. What would be a “healthier” belief (and behaviour)? (Think of health in terms of ALL dimensions
of hauora)
5. Report back to whole class discussion.

Beliefs
Use the beliefs suggested below or others offered by the students.
Cutting out all dairy products is a good weight loss measure because there’s lots of fat in dairy foods.
If I need to bulk up fast for sport, I’ll just eat heaps of chips and fatty foods to put on weight.
Cutting out all red meat is a good weight loss measure because there’s lots of fat in meat.
Becoming a vegetarian [or vegan] is a good weight loss measure because it means I cut out lots of fatty
foods.
If I exercise lots, like two hours a day, I can eat chocolate/chips afterwards.
If I drink straight spirits with no mixer I won’t get fat because the mixer has sugar in it and that’s
fattening.
All fat is unhealthy and therefore I won’t eat anything with fat in it.
If I cut down a lot on what I eat and exercise heaps I’ll lose weight fast.
Fat people are only fat because they have no control over what they eat (or, skinny people show great
control over what they eat).
Feeling guilty eating food in front of people (especially boys/boyfriends) is normal.
Depriving or denying yourself food is “good”.
When I get my work done I’ll “reward” myself with chocolate/ice cream/lollies/chips.
If I smoke at least I’m not eating anything.
I must lose weight/go on diet because all my friends are.
Children have to eat everything on their plate before they leave the table.

(From QSCC module)

1. What influence does media have on dietary and exercise behaviours?
2. What contradictions exist between the “ideal” bodies portrayed and healthy messages about food?
3. How does the media portrayal of “ideal” body shapes, dietary and exercise behaviours differ for
males/females, cultural groups, age groups?
4. How are our ideas about “health” and “healthy body” shaped by culture and history (particularly as
related to food and exercise)?

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Personal Identity and Inter-personal Skills Activities (extended)

1. Attitudes and values (From QSCC module)

Our attitudes and values about body image impact greatly on the way we define ourselves and in the
way we interact with other people. Explore the stereotyped statements as an agree/disagree continuum
activity and discuss the following questions:

• What assumptions and judgments are behind these statements?

• Do you know this to be true? How? Why?
• How do these assumptions become a part of everyday life?
• To what extent does research support or challenge these assumptions? (eg. own school research and
other reading)
• What is it about these statements that might make us feel uncomfortable about ourselves?
• How do your/our behaviours differ from the stereotypes in the statements?
• Have any of you used these statements before or had someone say them to you? How did this make
you feel?
• Has the media ever used these statements against you?

Statements for Continuum

Girls/boys who are slim have more fun
Boys who are muscular have more friends
Girls who are slim are more popular
“You’re too fat” is a message used to sell products
The women/men I know are satisfied with their bodies
Being slim shows you have control of your life
Fat people are friendly and warm hearted
Women/men who have jobs dealing with the public should be attractive
Thin people are usually more serious than plump people
Successful males get to the top by looking good
Most young women have a pattern of disordered eating
Our bodies can easily get out of order so we must be on guard
Women are not attracted to fat men
Men are not attracted to fat women
Thin is beautiful OR “You can never be too rich or too thin”
Most people are afraid of looking old
Women do not need to eat as much as men
Fat people are unhealthy

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Females will spend a lot of money to be slim
Most people do not care about the looks of people around them
Girls/boys worry too much about their appearance
If you like someone, it doesn’t matter what size s/he is

2. Using interpersonal communication skills to enhance self-esteem in self and others (From
QSCC module)

Use the following scenarios either in role plays or learning journal writing,to illustrate a range of
interpersonal communication skills that encourage a healthy attitude to body image. It is important that
the skill of assertiveness features along with expressing feelings, giving constructive feedback and
where relevant, problem solving and negotiation. The person responding to the situation, needs to
demonstrate that their own body image attitudes and beliefs are ‘healthy’ as well.

Scenario One
A friend of yours continually puts himself down because of his physical characteristics, particularly
when comparing his body with images in magazines.

Scenario two
You overhear a classmate putting a friend down because of her physical appearance. Your friend feels
bad about the criticism and thinks she needs to do something to improve her appearance.

Scenario three
A friend feels left out from physical education and school sport because there are no role models with
his/her particular body shape (eg. short and with a physical disability)

Scenario four
A group of girls won’t go swimming because they don’t like wearing togs in front of other class
members

Scenario five
A mufti day is coming up at school. Your friends are all discussing what they will wear but you
decide you will take the day off because you don’t have the latest clothes

Scenario six
A boy feels he has to use bodybuilding supplements to build his muscles to get into a top sports team,
because all the other boys seem to use them and it works for them

Scenario seven
A group of girls eat only apples and carrots at lunchtime because they don’t want the boys seeing
them eat any bread or “fattening” food.

Scenario eight

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One of the girls in your groups is always saying things like “my thighs are so fat, I must go on a diet”
or “you’ve lost so much weight, I wish I could be that disciplined” or “I hate my body, it’s all fat and
flabby”, or “you’re so lucky you’re so skinny”
Individual research

To allow for the exploration of a wide range of body image issues, a small piece of individual or pairs
research resulting in a brief seminar presentation could be carried out.
Topics could include:

• Changing eating habits eg. reduced kilojoule intake (“dieting”), use of body building powders and
increasing food intake to bulk up (there are several topics in here)
• Smoking and other substance use (eg. different attitudes to type of alcohol drunk by males and
females, do boys smoke to avoid eating like many girls do?)
• The role of exercise in body image
• Tattooing (ethnic or western tradition)
• Body piercing
• Hair removal – males and females
• Acne and acne treatments
• Appearance medicine eg. collagen injections, skin peels, acne treatments, cosmetic surgery (face
lifts, breast augmentation, liposuction etc)

The researcher/s need/s to present the following information with visuals where appropriate and as
available:

• A clear statement about WHY it is an issue and WHO it is an issue for

• Six key pieces of information about the issue (write approximately a paragraph on each). Where
relevant this could include, the history of the issue, who is affected, who benefits, who loses,
techniques involved, costs and risks involved, short and long term consequences, access to the
service, etc.
• A health enhancing recommendation for individuals (messages and/or actions) related to the issue
• A health enhancing recommendation for a whole community health promotion strategy related to
the issue.
Refer to the presentation recording sheet on the following page.

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Presentation recording sheet:

What the issue is about:

The most relevant key points about the issue:

•

Health enhancing message or action for individuals:

Health enhancing action for the whole community:

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