Butterfly Body Bright

Prospective users

Aims & approach

Butterfly Body Bright is a strength-based universal prevention program that adopts evidence-based strategies to reduce the influence of modifiable risk factors and strengthen protective factors that underpin the development of children's body image.

The aim is to set positive foundations for children's developing body image to prevent the long-term development of serious body dissatisfaction and disordered eating as children get older and move into adolescence.

Staff and families are also supported with information on early identification and intervention, should more serious issues be developing during primary school. The whole school approach endeavours to have all members of the school community committed to promoting positive body image in children.

The Butterfly Body Bright school program includes:

• Access to an online portal
• 4 hours of online, self-paced staff training (available to unlimited teaching and non-teaching staff)
• Additional online training courses (in subsequent years of registration)
• 50 HPE curriculum-aligned lesson plans for students Foundation to Year 6
• School culture guidelines
• Free family resources
• A Body Bright school pack, including themed posters, bookmarks, stickers, a school board, pens and lanyard
• Quarterly Body Bright Lead newsletters (electronic)
• Ongoing support from the Body Bright team

Implementation support

• Implementation training webinars or modules
• Ongoing helpdesk, email or phone support

Evidence

Butterfly Body Bright was informed by an extensive review of the scientific literature that highlighted the need for the program and identified topics to address. Body image starts developing during childhood and impacts children's everyday mental and physical wellbeing, eating, physical activity, hobbies, and engagement in social relationships and school life. It is also a leading risk factor for eating disorders. Sociocultural theories of the development of body image highlighted the key risk and protective factors that the program should address, including peer, media and family influences. Evidence-based strategies to support positive body image were also included based on scientific evidence of positive psychology approaches.

The program's development aligned with principles of effective implementation that highlight the need for long-term and sustainable universal programs for children, and multi-lesson approach. Schools are ideal for widespread dissemination of universal prevention programs as they offer an existing infrastructure for implementation. Adopting a whole school approach, by targeting students, staff and families, is likely to have a greater impact on preventing the later development of body dissatisfaction and eating disorders in Australian youth.

A policy strategy study informed the School Culture Guidelines in the program, by gaining consensus from content experts and Australian educators on strategies schools should implement to promote positive body image. Program development also had the oversight from an expert advisory group and Educator and Parent Reference Groups who supported the development, feasibility and acceptability of the program content and structure.

Evidence reports include: Butterfly Body Bright pilot evaluation report; and Body Bright Staff Training feedback report.