Combating Eating Disorders by Addressing Body Image Issues in Schools

This research looks at two issues that are becoming more widely spread among children and adolescents: body image dissatisfaction and eating disorders. Past literature has centered on individuals who are dissatisfied with their bodies and the fact that this may put them more at risk for developing an eating disorder. Most school professionals are not experts when it comes to eating disorder and body image terminology and treatment practices. As school counselors help with the personal/social, career, and academic needs of each student they work with, it is important for them to be aware of the prevalent issues that are affecting their students and how to deal with them. This article looks at different types of eating disorders including anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa as well as muscle dysmorphia, which is a body image disorder. It defines body image and body dissatisfaction while discussing what factors contribute to a person’s body image. Finally, this paper explains the school counselor’s role in addressing body image issues in schools by providing preventative programming ideas and intervention strategies