Achieving Body Confidence for Young Children (ABC-4-YC)

Achieving Body Confidence for Young Children (ABC-4-YC) is the first body image program created for early primary school students, through collaboration with experts in psychology and education. Based on research and a needs assessment of early primary school teachers, we have generated innovative teacher-led and developmentally appropriate resources that contain classroom and take-home activities. ABC-4-YC is developed specifically to be embedded within the Health and Physical Education programming of each school. It will engage early primary school students in activities that aim to prevent the onset of weight stigma, body dissatisfaction, disordered eating, and other mental health problems later in life.

Why use ABC-4-YC for school children?

Guiding children to grow up confident in their body and the person they are is likely to lead to children achieving high self-esteem, self-acceptance, and engagement in healthy eating and physical activity behaviours. We can work towards achieving body confidence for all children by implementing prevention programs that target factors that may increase a child’s risk of developing body dissatisfaction. ABC-4-YC has been developed to target such factors, including weight stigma, by encouraging children to celebrate differences in appearance and body shape and size (i.e., body diversity) and to feel good in the body they have. ABC-4-YC has been designed for implementation at a critical stage in children’s development when they are establishing their body attitudes and behaviours. It is recognised that targeting the peer environment may be important in preventing body dissatisfaction, thus, schools are an ideal place to start.

Where can I get more information?

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact the ABC-4-YC team by emailing abc4yc@latrobe.edu.au or by phoning 03 9479 1906.