3 in 4 Australian high schoolers want to be thinner, new study shows

Three in four young Australians wish they were thinner or leaner according to new findings from the Butterfly Foundation’s 2024 BodyKind Youth Survey (BKYS), an annual nationwide assessment of body satisfaction among young people, supported by nib foundation. Viral social media trends like “SkinnyTok” which promote disordered eating increase a young person’s risk of developing an eating disorder.

• Over half (53.8%) reported being dissatisfied with how their body looks.
• Females and LGB+ youth continue to appear most at risk. Over 40% of these cohorts reported feeling ‘mostly’ or ‘completely’ dissatisfied with their bodies.
• Nearly half (44.7%) of Aussies aged 12-18 ‘never’ or ‘rarely’ feel comfortable with their body.
• While seeking support is an effective tool for combating body dissatisfaction, 73.2% ‘never’ or ‘rarely’ talk to someone when they’re feeling bad about their body or appearance.

Body dissatisfaction is shaping young people’s everyday lives – particularly in school environments, where over three-quarters of students report being subject to appearance-based teasing. For many, body image issues interfere with their education: from hesitating to raise their hand in class or focusing on schoolwork, to avoiding school altogether. Alarmingly, one in five say body dissatisfaction frequently impacts their school attendance.

“These findings make it clear that prevention efforts must start early and be embedded within the school environment,” said Dr Stephanie Damiano, Butterfly Body Bright Manager at the Butterfly Foundation. “By investing in education and early intervention, we have a real opportunity to reduce harm and build resilience before negative body image becomes a lifelong struggle.”

Given the clear impact of body image issues on young people’s social, emotional and academic wellbeing, young people are consistently calling for more support in schools. Across all three years of the survey, no fewer than nine in ten young people have urged for increased training and resources to help educators better support students struggling with body image. This ongoing demand underscores the need to build on existing efforts in Australian schools, including increased investment and acceleration of evidence-backed interventions to support students’ needs.

More than half (57.2%) of young people report that social media makes them feel unhappy with their bodies. The effect is especially pronounced among girls and gender-diverse youth, with over 45% reporting negative impacts, compared to just 22.8% of boys. There is strong demand for change, with 7 in 10 young people agreeing that social media platforms should do more to promote positive body image.

And while young people struggle with their self image, the data shows that contrastingly, they find it easier to be kind about others’ bodies. More than three-quarters (76.1%) say they value others for their personality rather than their appearance, and nearly 8 in 10 say they consciously avoid making unkind comments about others’ bodies.

Amy Tribe, nib foundation Executive Officer says, “This year’s results show that body image issues in young Australians remain persistent and concerning. We are pleased to announce nib foundation will support the Body Kind Youth Survey again for a third year so Butterfly can continue to track the body image experiences of young people. The data insights provide vital direction for prevention efforts, which in turn help young people transition to adulthood with better health and wellbeing.”

”These results again demonstrate how critical it is to be in schools, having real conversations with young people and educators, and giving them strategies and tools to support body image and encourage healthy eating and exercise behaviours,” said Helen Bird, Head of Prevention at Butterfly Foundation. “This August, Butterfly is providing free classroom activities, videos, posters, tip sheets and more for schools and educators to encourage a more BodyKind Australia.”

Key insights from the 2024 BodyKind Youth Survey:

Body image

• More than half (53.8%) of all young people reported being dissatisfied with how their body looks.
• More than 1 in 3 (37.5%) reported being mostly or completely dissatisfied with how their body looks.
• 75.5% of young people wished they were thinner/leaner.
• Females (82.2%) and trans and gender diverse young people (82.8%) reported a greater desire for thinness/leanness compared with males (32.4%).
• 78.5% of young people have experienced negative comments about their appearance or appearance-related teasing.

Impact of body image on life engagement

Young people said their body image had stopped them to some extent (‘a little bit’, ‘quite a bit’ or ‘all the time’) from engaging with various parts of everyday life. This includes:

• Over half (53.1%) avoid spending time with friends and family.
• Nearly half (45.9%) avoid going to school because of their body image.
• Over three quarters (76.5%) avoid going to the beach or pool.
• More than a third (35.5%) avoid going to the doctor because of their body image.

School support

• 78.2% reported that they experienced teasing at school.
• Appearance-based teasing was frequently experienced across all genders, but more frequently reported by trans and gender diverse young people (92.9%).
• Nearly 9 in 10 reported that anyone working with young people in schools should be trained in how to support positive body image.

Social media

• 7 in 10 agreed social media platforms need to do more to help young people have a positive body image.
• 39.6% thought social media was the best way for young people to get information about body image.

The BodyKind Youth Survey is issued in advance of Body Kind August, a Butterfly campaign encouraging positive body image and being BodyKind among young people for a dedicated month, across a range of settings including schools, families, sports and other social activities.

To read the full report, visit: www.butterfly.org.au/youthsurveyfindings

To register for BodyKind August, visit Butterfly.org.au/BodyKindAugust.

-ENDS-

For further information, image & interview requests, please contact:

Evie McCullough – Think HQ

E: butterfly@think-hq.com.au

M: 0451161928

About Butterfly Foundation
Butterfly is the national charity for all Australians impacted by eating disorders and body image issues, and for the families, friends and communities who support them. Butterfly changes lives by providing innovative, evidence-based support services, treatment and resources, prevention and early intervention programs, and by advocating for the needs of our community.

About Body Kind Youth Survey (BKYS)

The BKYS was conducted in 2024 and surveyed 1,648 young people (12- to 18-year-olds) across all states and territories in Australia.

For consistency, the questions from the 2022 BodyKind Youth Survey remained the same, with only small additions made in 2024, including an item to capture sex at birth, what ‘being healthy’ means to young people, and at what age people should be allowed to access social media.

Editor and producers note
Please include the following support line details in all media coverage of this story and refer to the Mindframe Media guidelines for safe reporting on eating disorders.

• Anyone needing support with eating disorders or body image issues is encouraged to contact:
  • Butterfly National Helpline on 1800 33 4673 (1800 ED HOPE) or support@butterfly.org.au
  • Eating Disorders Victoria Helpline on 1300 550 23
  • For urgent support call Lifeline 13 11 14