Young children and teens are bombarded by messages from media every day. 
On television and billboards, it is a rarity to see a celebrity without a well-sculpted body and perfect skin. Middle school students, who are the usual victims of such ideals, end up laboriously aiming to look like the celebrities they admire. But what they fail to understand is that there is no such thing as perfect. Even the celebrities they admire have been air-brushed in most of the images they see. So how can you identify and help middle school students with negative body image? Here are some tips:
Catch them Doing Good Things
Students may begin to think negatively about themselves when they feel that they are not good enough in anything - academics, sports and arts. These students will ignore a positive comment, or stay anti-social because they do not feel capable of maintaining friends. They also end up becoming underachievers, in spite of an average IQ level from the test results. So how can you help them perform better? Recognize their achievements - even if they tend not to respond positively towards them. You may also give them a responsibility, such as a group leader, and give positive remarks to boost their self-esteem.
Create an Alliance with Parents and Health Professionals
Negative body image among middle school students can be a contributing factor for eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. The desire to be thin and gaunt like the fashion models can incourage young students to do anything it takes to look just like them. You can easily identify teens that are suffering from such disorders by their physical appearance. A sudden drop in weight that is not caused by physical illness would signal a potential harmful problem. Set up an appointment with the parents and discuss your observations about their child. Seek a health professional’s help, if necessary, to remedy the condition immediately.
Classroom Activities that Uplift Student Morale
The desire to be physically attractive is a common thing for anyone who feels insecure and discontented about their looks. Some students can be very vocal in expressing their wish to be beautiful (even if you believe that they already are) or smart, or thin. Others, though, can be very private about their thoughts. These students tend to frequently look at themselves in the mirror, develop bad posture (slumping can also be a sign of feelings of insecurity) and give a longing look to the “more popular” students in class.
