Why Butterfly Body Bright Matters.
Body dissatisfaction starts young—
and it matters.
It’s a key risk factor for a range of negative physical, mental, and social outcomes, including:
Unhealthy dieting and muscle-building behaviours
Depression and anxiety
Eating disorders
Here’s what we know:
Around 50% of pre-adolescent girls feel unhappy with their bodies
More and more boys are striving for a leaner, more muscular look
Body dissatisfaction is one of the top concerns for young Australians
93% of adults who developed body image concerns in primary school told us it worsened in adolescence, and 78% engaged in disordered eating during primary school
Negative attitudes about weight can form in early childhood—leading to teasing and low self-esteem
Body concerns as early as age 5–7 can predict dieting by age 9
By adolescence, 1 in 6 girls have already tried at least one potentially dangerous method to lose weigh
We can make a difference - early!
The primary school years matter. Research shows that building a positive foundation for body confidence and healthy behaviours in childhood can have a lasting impact.
Butterfly Body Bright gives children the skills to:
Feel good in their bodies
Build resilience to body image pressures
Develop lifelong healthy attitudes and behaviour
Find out more about what the research says.
Read about the research that informed Butterfly Body Bright and the outcomes from our evaluation.
What’s next…
Butterfly acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which we work as first people of this country.
We commit to embracing diversity and eliminating discrimination in health care. We welcome all help-seekers and strive to create a safe place for all people, irrespective of their size, shape, age, abilities, gender, sexuality, cultural background, language, economic status, profession or location.