Body image in children and teenagers

Body image is how people think and feel about the way they look and how they think others see them. Your child’s body image isn’t just about what they see in the mirror. Lots of things can affect how your child feels about their body and these feelings can change over time.

It’s natural for children and young people to have concerns about their bodies, especially as they go through changes. Sometimes though, this can impact their mental health. As their parent or carer, there are some things you should watch out for and ways you can help them to have a positive body image.

When your child has a positive body image, this can help them to value themselves. It helps them to know they don’t need to change the way they look to make others like them.

If your child worries about their appearance or feels they don’t look ‘right’ this can lower their self-esteem. They may want to change their appearance, hide their ‘flaws’, or avoid people altogether.

Your child might find it hard to love and accept their body, especially if others around them struggle with their body image. It is possible for them to learn body confidence and how to handle negative thoughts so they can be comfortable being themselves.

Children’s bodies go through lots of changes very quickly. It’s natural for them to become conscious of what their body is doing and what they look like.

Your child might experience some anxious feelings about fitting in with others. They may start noticing or comparing:

• what their bodies can and can’t do
• weight, height or body shape
• skin and hair
• cultural and other differences
• maturity, such as needing to shave or wear a bra
• clothes and accessories
• facial features and cosmetics

If your child shares their worries about their body with you, it’s important not to dismiss their feelings. Let them know you’re listening and ask how you can support them to feel good about themselves.

Read our advice on:

• How to help your child share their worries with you
• Active listening skills for parents to support your child

Body image can have a big effect on a young person’s mental health. It can be hard for you to know if their worries about their appearance are a normal part of growing up or a sign of a more serious issue.

Here are some concerns to look out for:

Body dysmorphia

Body dysmorphia is when a child becomes very worried about what they see as flaws in their appearance. These “flaws” are often tiny or not noticeable to anyone else, but they can cause a lot of distress. A child might spend a lot of time checking how they look or avoiding mirrors altogether. They may try to cover up the area they’re worried about or ask for frequent reassurance about their appearance.

Sometimes body dysmorphia can be linked to eating disorders or questions about their gender identity.

Young Minds has advice for young people experiencing body dysmorphia.

Extreme muscle building trends

While an interest in exercise can be good for children and young people, some approaches to muscle building are not suitable for children and young people.

Your child might talk about “bulking and cutting”. This is when they alternate between eating more to gain muscle (‘bulking’) and then eating less to lose body fat and gain muscle definition (‘cutting’).

Restricting eating in this way can mean your child’s body doesn’t get all the nutrients it needs for healthy growth. It can also harm your child’s relationship with food. Bulking and cutting can even be a form of disordered eating.

If your child is trying this, it’s important to try and talk to them about what foods are good for them. You can explain how eating enough of the right nutrients every day will help their body to grow and improve their fitness in general and at the gym.

Diets, fasting and weight loss medication

If your child wants to follow a diet or weight loss programme, it’s important to make sure they know what a balanced diet should look like.

Your child might also show an interest in products like meal replacement drinks or patches, injections and supplements that simulate the effect of prescribed weight loss medication. These are not safe for children to use.

Self-harming

Sometimes a young person’s negative thoughts about themselves become so intense they lead to self-harm. If you suspect that your child may be hurting themselves because of how they feel about their body or their looks, it’s important to get help if your child is self-harming.

Be aware of your language

When you talk to your child about body image, talk about self-care, feeling healthy and foods and exercise that give you energy. Avoid using words like “weight”. If you do need to talk about weight, make sure your child knows it’s only one measure of health.

Talk about how there are many different body shapes and sizes and that’s OK. Be positive about people of all shapes and sizes in real life and in the media or on TV.

Help your child value what makes them unique

Show your child what makes them special. Give them the confidence to be OK with anything that they think makes them different.

You could:

• keep a family list of achievements, talents and positive behaviour
• praise your child for who they are – tell them that they are kind or say you love their jokes
• read books together about being unique, such as Oh, The Places You’ll Go by Dr Seuss

Support body confidence as they grow

You can teach your child about body confidence from a young age. You can start by things like teaching them to notice what their body can do in everyday things, like going for a walk.

Talk to them about the images they see online, in magazines and on TV. Notice if they are comparing themself to others and how this makes them feel.

As your child gets older and reaches puberty, they will go through physical and emotional changes. Understanding what your child is going through can help you to support them. Try to have relaxed, open conversations about these changes. It’s important to validate their feelings about their body, even if you don’t see them how they see themself. Help them to work through difficult feelings.

Think about how you feel and talk about your own body. Try not to criticise your body or talk about dieting in front of your child. If you are happy with your body and kind about yourself, your child will learn to be too.

You can:

• try to avoid making negative comments about yourself or others’ bodies in front of your child
• make healthy food choices for good health, not just for weight-loss
• compliment your child on their personality and the things they do well, not just on how they look
• celebrate all the things your body can do and encourage exercise for the joy of movement
• talk to them about social media filters and how images in the media are edited in unrealistic ways
• encourage them to speak kindly to themselves, just as they would a friend or loved one

Page last reviewed: March 2026

Next review due: March 2029