Body Image Programs
The Longhorn Wellness Center offers programs and resources that create a supportive environment at UT Austin that positively influences body image and overall well-being.
It's normal to have mixed feelings about your body. Friends, family, classmates, media, cultural norms and personal expectations can all influence how you view yourself, sometimes in good ways and sometimes in not-so-good ways.
Around half of UT students say they struggle with how they look (NCHA 2023). These feelings can affect your mood and your performance in school.
Program Foundations
Our body image related programs are growing! Check back here periodically for updates.
Comfortable Physical Spaces
The Longhorn Wellness Center is dedicated to creating a campus environment where everyone can focus on learning, connecting with others and taking care of their needs. To make this happen, we support:
- Seating that accommodates all body types
- Neutral messaging about food
- A movement culture that emphasizes overall health, not weight
Relationships
Your families, friends and community groups often have strong beliefs about how your body reflects your overall health. These beliefs shape conversations that influence how you view your body and health. We aim to support close communities with information and tools to understand the impact of your shared environment on everyone's well-being.
Media Influence
Nearly half of people using digital technology turn to social media for advice on health, including food choices, fitness and general lifestyle habits. While the accessibility of free information can be helpful, its accuracy is often questionable. Social media, in particular, appeals to our desire for answers, offering seemingly certain solutions and aspirations for happiness and success. We support developing media literacy skills to help you be thoughtful about how you interpret and act on information. We also encourage you to use neutral messaging around body image, food and movement in shared spaces.
Additional Resources
- Visit healthyhorns body image page for more information on the impact of body image on our health.
- Request a facilitated conversation about body image and well-being by emailing longhornwellnesscenter@austin.utexas.edu.
- Use the services provided by the Mindful Eating Team, a workshop hosted by a University Health Services dietitian or a Counseling and Mental Health Center group.
Contact
The University of Texas at Austin
Student Services Building
Longhorn Wellness Center
100 West Dean Keeton Street, 1.106
Austin, Texas 78712
Phone: 512-475-8252