By Kath Gannaway
Creating a whole community approach to an issue that affects so many people is something the Upper Yarra Body Image Working Group is working towards with a series of workshops over two months.
The program started in August with a Stakeholders Forum with body image expert Professor Susan Paxton, and continues with a range of thought-provoking activities in and around Body Image and Eating Disorders Awareness Week.
The Upper Yarra Body Image Working Group is a collaboration of local organisations working together to inform the community on developing a community approach to body esteem and wellbeing.
“Because the ‘body culture’ is so huge, we think it’s important to help our community to understand its implications, ways to challenge that culture and strategies for us to feel good about ourselves,” Louise Wigg, project leader for the group, said.
“We think that if we take the focus off weight and back on to health, we can help people to develop health-enhancing lifestyles.”
Ms Wigg said they hoped the workshops would appeal to a cross-section of the community.
“Many of the activities are aimed at adults, so we can create supportive body image friendly environments for our children and ourselves,” she said.
“Body image is the way we think, perceive and feel about our bodies. We know that body image is closely linked to self esteem, and it can have significant impact on what and how we eat, our physical activity and how we feel about ourselves.”
Ms Wigg said that while poor body image peaked in adolescence and was often carried through to adulthood, children as young as six were reporting body image concerns with some being diagnosed with eating disorders.
Many of the activities are aimed at adults with a view to creating supportive body image friendly environments for children and adults.
‘Body Confident Children and Teens’ is on Wednesday, 30 August from 7pm to 9pm followed by Champions for Change Youth Day on Thursday, 31 August from 10am to 2pm, and Love Your Body, Move Your Body, Feed Your Body on Monday, 4 September.
For information on these, and other workshops and seminars in September, visit Yarra Ranges Council’s events calendar at www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au
