Body Image and Mental Health in Young People

Discover expert advice on body image concerns in children and young people

On this three-week course from the Mental Health Foundation, you’ll explore body image and the impact it has on children and young people’s mental health.

With the help of experts from across the Foundation’s programmes, research, and policy teams, you’ll examine body image, its relationship with mental health, the factors that affect it, and how to support children and young people to develop and maintain healthy body image.

Explore the prevalence of body image concerns in childhood and adolescence

This course will guide you through the many influences on body image, from social media to physical health conditions, and how body image affects mental health and quality of life in young people.

Develop ways to support young people toward healthy body image

Through this course, you’ll learn some personal actions you can take to develop and maintain healthy body image, helping to build a more accepting culture for young people.

You’ll also gain tips on how to support young people in educational settings, at home, and through policy. From informed conversations to health education, you’ll finish this course with a wide range of tools to support children and young people with their body image.

Learn from the experts at the Mental Health Foundation

The Mental Health Foundation is one of the UK’s leading mental health charities, taking a prevention-focused public mental health approach to its work.

Their mission is to help all people understand, protect, and sustain their mental health, which makes them uniquely suited to guide you through the important topic of body image in young people.

This course is designed for all professionals working with children and young people, with a focus on the education sector.

It will also be of interest to anyone looking to learn more about body image, its link with mental health, and how to support young people at home, in school, or through policy changes.

• Defining body image and mental health throughout life
• Introduction to the course
• Defining body image
• Defining mental health
• Exploring the relationship between body image and mental health
• Body image in later life
• Body image in adulthood
• Weekly reflection section
• Body image in children and young people
• Introduction to Week 2
• Psychological factors: Thoughts and feelings
• Family and social networks
• Ethnicity and culture
• Health conditions, disorders, and disabilities
• Life changes and transitions
• Cosmetic procedures
• Media and technology
• Weekly reflection section
• Supporting children and young people to maintain healthy body image
• Introduction to Week 3
• Personal actions as professionals
• Helpful and informed conversations about cosmetic procedures
• Supporting children and young people in education
• Supporting children and young people at home
• Supporting children and young people in policy
• Weekly reflection section