Butterfly: Let's Talk3 Jan 2023

In depth with early childhood body image expert Dr Stephanie Damiano

It goes without saying that we want to give our young children the best start. We also know from years of research that negative body image can impact almost all life outcomes – including relationships, education, and careers.

So how do we protect our children from developing a negative body image? And when should we start? The answer could shock you.

Dr Stephanie Damiano is a psychology researcher and an expert in this space.

“We see quite consistently that around the age of three, children start to develop pretty strong weight attitudes and weight stereotypes around bodies,” she says. "They tend to attribute positive characteristics to thin bodies and negative characteristics to large bodies. Their body image starts to develop a little bit later, around the age of four.”

Biological, psychological, and socio-cultural factors contribute to the development of positive or negative body image. In the socio-cultural space, our kids’ attitudes are shaped by family, the media, and their peers – and this is where adults can influence them.

Dr Damiano also leads Butterfly’s pioneering Body Bright program that is available free to primary schools. Listen to her chat with Sam about helping young kids establish a positive relationship with their bodies for their future well-being and success.

find out more about Butterfly body bright

butterfly body bright - information for families

butterfly body bright - information for schools

for educators - register your school

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(88)

Eating disorder and neurodivergence: What one carer learned that made all the difference

Neurodivergence, ADHD, autism, dyslexia, sensory processing differences, is far more common in eating disorder presentations than most people realise. When it goes unrecognised, traditional treatment...

5 Mai 26min

It's not about the body: the hidden story behind your body image

Meet our new host, Beth Shelton, a counselling psychologist with thirty years of experience working with people affected by eating disorders, including their loved ones. In addition to her own practic...

31 Mar 30min

Problematic relationship with your body and food? Here's what to do.

In this episode Yvie is joined by Natalie Spicer, Butterfly's Head of Clinical Services, to talk through taking the all-important first steps toward recovery from an eating disorder. If you or a loved...

3 Mar 30min

The medicine and the message: Unpacking the chatter around GLP-1s

On this week’s episode of Let's Talk In this episode, we're talking about GLP-1 medications, the drugs originally developed for diabetes that are now used more widely for weight loss. We've all seen h...

3 Feb 50min

Why it's time to stop blaming our bodies: How weight stigma harms us

In this episode of Let’s Talk we’re diving into the mind-blowing world of weight stigma with two very authentic and vocal fat activists. You may also laugh out loud and decide you want these women as ...

6 Jan 33min

Preparing your teen for life after the social media ban

On this week’s episode of Let's Talk we're diving into a topic that will impact young people and any adults who love, work with, or educate them: We're talking about the incoming social media age rest...

2 Des 202520min

When recovery isn’t linear: Hope for your longstanding eating disorder

In this episode of Let’s Talk we are diving into the realities of living with, and managing, a longstanding eating disorder. So many of us live in that space between acute illness and full recovery, ...

4 Nov 202531min

Can't Sleep? It may be impacting your mental health

This episode of Let’s Talk dives into one of the most important parts of mental health and wellbeing: sleep. Yvie is joined by Dr Sumedha Verma, a sleep psychologist dedicated to helping people unders...

30 Sep 202531min