Helping teens develop a positive body image is crucial for their mental and emotional well-being. Teens’ bodies change rapidly during puberty at the same time they are being exposed to media and messages that often show narrow and unrealistic standards of the ideal body type. This new resource from the Family and Youth Services Bureau helps parents and other caregivers counter these harmful messages and encourage teens to develop a healthy body image.

The guide provides parents and caregivers an understanding of what body image is and how it is shaped by culture and society. It helps them determine when a teen might be struggling with a negative body image. Most importantly, it offers practical tips they can use to foster a healthy body image among the teens in their lives.