Anti-bias body image curriculum for high schools

Dear Friend,

Today’s young people spend more than eight hours each day on their phones and computers. They compare their appearance to edited and filtered images of people they see on their social media sites. 77% of adolescents report “body image distress,” feeling dissatisfied with their own appearance. We know from the research that having a negative perception of their own bodies leads to serious mental health consequences such as eating disorders, depression, anxiety, risky sexual behavior, substance abuse, and low self-esteem.

BE REAL creates resources to help young people with their body image. We have evidence-based workshops for adults and curricula for youth that are designed to help children develop a healthy relationship to food and their body. 

Here are some notable highlights of BodyKind:

• The BodyKind high school body image curriculum by Be Real is now available for educators across the nation. We've teamed up with schools and eating disorder non-profits in Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Rhode Island, Vermont, Colorado, Oregon, Arizona, Alaska, and Minnesota to bring Body Confident Schools to their communities. Thousands of teachers have been trained and are delivering BodyKind to their classrooms.
• BodyKind has been shown to significantly increase Body Appreciation among participants. We’re excited to announce that our high school body image curriculum, BodyKind, has demonstrated its effectiveness in improving students’ body image through a Randomized Control Trial (RCT)! Findings from a study involving 1,150 students in Ireland revealed that BodyKind led to significant increases in body appreciation. Our curriculum is the first to achieve these results, providing a promising solution to body image issues.
• BodyKind goes global. Be Real is adapting BodyKind for different countries. We adjust language, images, and stories to fit research and local experiences. We collaborate with each country for research and local issues. We have already developed an adaptation for Ireland and are currently working on one for Latin America, with implementation scheduled to start this November.
• Let’s Eat is almost ready for the public.We’re thrilled to share that we’re in the final stages of preparing Let’s Eat, a weight-neutral nutrition curriculum designed to promote healthy eating while prioritizing mental health. Let’s Eat emphasizes Tuned-In Eating, self-care, and body cues, enabling students to connect their food preferences to their identity and culture.

Thank you for your past support at GlobalGiving.  We could use your help now more than ever to develop and expand the reach of BodyKind and Let’s Eat!

Confidently yours,

Denise Hamburger

Executive Director of BE REAL

Dear Friend,

Today’s young people spend more than eight hours each day on their phones and computers. They compare their appearance to edited and filtered images of people they see on their social media sites. 77% of adolescents report “body image distress,” feeling dissatisfied with their own appearance. We know from the research that having a negative perception of their own bodies leads to serious mental health consequences such as eating disorders, depression, anxiety, risky sexual behavior, substance abuse, and low self-esteem.

BE REAL creates resources to help young people with their body image. We have evidence-based workshops for adults and curricula for youth that are designed to help children develop a healthy relationship to food and their body. 

Here are some notable highlights of BodyKind:

• The BodyKind high school body image curriculum by Be Real is now available for educators across the nation. We've teamed up with schools and eating disorder non-profits in Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Rhode Island, Vermont, Colorado, Oregon, Arizona, Alaska, and Minnesota to bring Body Confident Schools to their communities. Thousands of teachers have been trained and are delivering BodyKind to their classrooms.
• Let’s Eat! is being Pilot Tested this Summer. Our latest curriculum Let’s Eat! introduces brand-new middle school and high school lessons focusing on the latest research and insights from top experts in the field of nutrition. We have partnered with Ramsey County, Minnesota’s Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) initiative. 
• BodyKind Goes Global. Be Real is adapting BodyKind for different countries. We adjust language, images, and stories to fit research and local experiences. We collaborate with each country for research and local issues. We have an adaptation for Ireland.
• The BodyKind team recently published an article in the Body Image Journal, detailing BE REAL's Irish cultural adaptation of BodyKind. We are committed to delivering sustainable and scalable programs to schools worldwide. Here are our other, recent articles on BodyKind high school body image curriculum in leading academic journals: (1) Body Image Journal and (2) BMC Public Health. We continue to test BodyKind. 

 Thank you for your past support at GlobalGiving. We could use your help now more than ever to develop and expand the reach of BodyKind and Let’s Eat!.

Confidently yours,

Denise Hamburger

Executive Director of BE REAL