HealthInfo Canterbury
Body image in teens & young adults
Te tirohanga ā-tinana me te taumahatanga ki ngā taiohi me rangatahi
People's bodies come in all shapes and sizes. Some people are taller than others, some people have broader shoulders than others, and some people have curvier hips than others. While eating well, being active and trying to stay a healthy weight can be good for you, that doesn't mean you have to be a particular shape.
Read some of the links below to find out how we sometimes get fooled into not liking our own perfectly normal bodies, and why it's important to accept you as you are.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
- Bodywhys – Improving body image
Body image tips for young people by young people.
- Centre for Clinical Interventions – Building body acceptance
This online self-help module helps you to work through issues you might have about your body's shape and size
- Dove – Evolution commercial
Watch how a model is made up, then her image digitally distorted, to create an unrealistic image of beauty.
- Youthhealthtalk.org – Health and weight
Here you'll find a lot of interviews with young people about different issues relating to weight and health, including why everyone seems to be talking about weight, why it can be difficult to maintain a healthy weight, and even trying to change your weight.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed January 2021. Page updated April 2021.
Review key: HIBIW-53195
