The Good Food Image

Food and our bodies are intrinsically linked. We feed our bodies in order to survive—to fuel the chemical reactions within our body. However, as discussed in one of my women’s studies classes recently, food is currently portrayed in competing ways. Namely, North American society is obsessed with ‘thinness’. This ideal of beauty is advertised everywhere, including food advertisements. Although this concept of beauty is pervasive for women and men, our society is also obsessed with consuming foods that function in unhealthy ways in our bodies, for example some fats, salt and simple sugars are destructive to our health.

Furthermore, we were challenged within this class to question what tangible actions can be taken in order to promote a healthy relationship between food and our bodies, especially in relation to women, body image, and food consumption. Initially, classmates mentioned that instead of internalizing self-hate for the body; our society needs to cultivate self-love within each individual. But, it still came down to how? How do you cultivate self-love? I decided to emphasize that mandatory food education in our Canadian education system would encourage an emerging link between food and healthy body image. As Danielle has mentioned previously in our blog, primary and high school curricula does not include mandatory food education. If we foster from a young age a healthy, positive relationship with food—through interactive and engaging material and activities—children and youth will inevitably develop a more intimate relationship and a better understanding of their food, and food production. By encouraging and affirming students in their own food initiatives, children and youth may mature with pride and confidence in their bodies, and the food that sustains them.

Media does not have to be the only source in which students receive information about their bodies. Our society needs to provide more resources to our children and youth in order for students to negotiate the relationship between their bodies and food in a healthy manner. Let’s campaign for more school initiatives that promote the concepts of healthy eating, food security and food sovereignty with future generations.

In Victoria, a prominent NGO working in this area is LifeCycles. Check out their Growing Schools program here: http://lifecyclesproject.ca/initiatives/growing_schools/

Take and look, and see what just one local initiative can accomplish!