Welcome to our first showcase of the year! This month, we are highlight the amazing work of Embrace Kids. There is no doubt that the organisation’s work is incredibly important in our increasingly image-conscious world. We encourage readers to explore further and check out the available resources.

Embrace Kids has a vision for a world where young people are empowered to grow and thrive, free from feelings of judgement and shame about their bodies. Through their suite of age-appropriate programs and resources, they get in early to teach the message of body appreciation to young people and embed these positive messages in all the places where they live, learn and play to minimise their lifetime risk of eating disorders, depression and anxiety. Embrace Kids is powered by The Embrace Collective—a health promotion charity. 

Led by 2023 Australian of the Year Taryn Brumfitt and international body image expert Dr Zali Yager, along with a global team of academics, clinicians and lived experience advisors, their goal is to reach one million Australian children annually with the Embrace message and evidence-based resources to stop the body image crisis.

Embrace Kids provides free body image programs and resources to all the adults who support and work with young people, including parents/carers, early childhood educators, school teachers and sports coaches.

The scope of the problem

• 77% of Australian adolescents report body image distress (Milton et al., 2021)
• Young people experiencing body image distress are 24x more likely to develop depression and anxiety, and are at greater risk for eating disorders (McLean et al., 2021; Bornioli et al., 2021)
• Children as young as 3 have already internalised ideas about bodies and appearance (Spiel, Paxton, Yager, 2013)
• Young people who are dissatisfied with their bodies are more likely to use alcohol and other drugs, avoid physical activity and disengage from school (Bornioli et al., 2021; Bucchianeri et al., 2013; Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2006; Atkinson & Diedrichs, 2021)
• Body dissatisfaction is recognised as a key risk factor for eating disorders (Bucchianeri et al., 2013; Stice et al., 2019)

You can find out more about Embrace Kids and access all their resources here.