Girls as young as five routinely worry about their weight and appearance, while half of girls and a third of boys aged 14 have been on a diet to change their body shape, according to a recent report .
The Guardian Teacher Network has resources aimed at boosting young people's body confidence and self-esteem, along with materials to help pupils think critically about the images they see on screen and in magazines.
The Guardian article, Girls aged five worry about their body image, focuses on the findings of the recent parliamentary report and can be used as a stimulus for discussion, as the basis for a class survey, or as a reading comprehension task.
To see these resources go to teachers.theguardian.com
Questions to consider include: What factors are thought to be fuelling low self esteem in children? What percentage of boys are said to have tried dieting? What "better support" could be offered to pupils? Similar themes can be explored with the Education Guardian article Children start dieting as young as 10.
Media Smart: Body Image is a one hour lesson that considers the role of the media and advertising in influencing young people's perception of body image. Aimed at 10 and 11 year olds, it highlights techniques used in post-production such as air-brushing to help children think critically about the images they are seeing. It is supported by a PowerPoint presentation, self-esteem worksheet, teacher's notes and additional materials.
The influence of the media on ideas about body image is explored further in the lesson Body Image. Suitable for use with secondary pupils, issues raised include cultural differences in attitude to food and body image, the health consequences of being over or under weight, and the need to respect how others look. The resource includes teachers' notes and a PowerPoint presentation.
For early years, Twinkl has produced a number of resources that address issues of self-esteem. I Am Special encourages pupils to write positively about themselves. My Emotions discussion cards and fans can be used to help young people talk about their feelings, while What to do if you see bullying is a set of illustrations that can be discussed and displayed in the classroom.
Brilliant Bodies is a collection of activities from the Wellcome Trust with a section that focuses on why our bodies are all different but equally special. The pack is supported by a selection of online games suitable for four and five year olds.
For seven to 11 year olds, the booklet Health and Happy can be used as a starting point for discussion about self-esteem, body image and the importance of a balanced diet and regular exercise. Topics covered include the effects of eating too much or too little and of bullying someone because of their physical appearance.
• The Guardian Teacher Network has more than 100,000 pages of lesson plans and interactive materials. To see and share for yourself go to teachers.theguardian.com. There are also thousands of teaching, leadership and support jobs on the site visit schoolsjobs.theguardian.com.
