Bringing body confidence education to US schools

Dear Friend,

Today’s young people spend more than eight hours each day on their phones and computers. They compare their appearance to edited and filtered images of people they see on their social media sites. 75% of adolescents report “body image distress,” feeling dissatisfied with their own appearance. We know from the research that having a negative perception of their own bodies leads to serious mental health consequences such as eating disorders, depression, anxiety, risky sexual behavior, substance abuse, and low self-esteem.

BE REAL creates resources to help young people with their body image. We have evidence-based workshops for adults and curricula for youth that are designed to help children develop a healthy relationship with food and their bodies. 

Last year was incredibly successful for BE REAL. Thanks to generous donations, we’ve been able to make it possible for more students, teachers, and parents to have access to our free resources.

Here are some of the projects we are currently working on:

• BE REAL’s BodyKind high school body image curriculum is available to educators worldwide. In 2025, we more than doubled our overall reach, marking the most significant year of growth in BodyKind’s history.
• Let’s Eat is thriving. Be Real launched the curriculum on April 1, 2025, and it reached nearly as many students as BodyKind in its first year. We are currently pilot testing Let’s Eat in two middle schools in Portland, Oregon and at UNC Charlotte in February 2026.
• The BE REAL Ambassador program is expanding. In 2025, 51 ambassadors joined the program, growing our community to more than 150 ambassadors globally. Ambassadors help spread our resources and share their experiences during our quarterly meetings.
• Tune in with Denise. Be Real was featured in 3 podcasts, in 2025 – Sunnyside Up Podcast with Anna Lutz and Elizabeth Davenport (August), Burnt Toast Podcast with Virginia Sole-Smith (September), and Nutrition Class for Your Inner TweenPodcast with Zoe Bisbing (October).
• BodyKind has 4 publications. BodyKind’s fourth academic publication is featured in the Body Image Journal. The randomized controlled trial (RCT) found that BodyKind increased body appreciation immediately post-survey and improved self-compassion and body satisfaction at a 12-week follow-up. In 2024, we were featured again in Body Image Journal on BodyKind's Irish cultural adaptation. In 2023, we were once again featured in Body Image Journal on BodyKind's pilot in Minneapolis, and in BMC Public Health on BodyKind's RCT protocol.

Thank you for your past support at GlobalGiving. We could use your help now more than ever to create Body Confident Schools and expand access to weight-neutral nutrition education everywhere!

Confidently yours,

Denise Hamburger

Executive Director of BE REAL

Dear Friend,

Today’s young people spend more than eight hours each day on their phones and computers. They compare their appearance to edited and filtered images of people they see on their social media sites. 75% of adolescents report “body image distress,” feeling dissatisfied with their own appearance. We know from the research that having a negative perception of their own bodies leads to serious mental health consequences such as eating disorders, depression, anxiety, risky sexual behavior, substance abuse, and low self-esteem.

BE REAL creates resources to help young people with their body image. We have evidence-based workshops for adults and curricula for youth that are designed to help children develop a healthy relationship to food and their bodies. 

This year has been incredibly successful for BE REAL. Thanks to generous donations, we’ve been able to make it possible for more students, teachers, and parents to have access to our free resources.

Here are some of the projects we are currently working on:

• BE REAL’s BodyKind curriculum is available to high school educators nationwide. Teachers can access training and certification through flexible online or in-person sessions.
• BodyKind’s has Four Publications! BodyKind has now been featured in four academic publications. The most recent, in the Body Image Journal, reports results from our randomized controlled trial (RCT), showing increased body appreciation immediately post-survey and improved self-compassion and body satisfaction at a 12-week follow-up.                                                                                                              Previous publications include: 

• • Body Image Journal (2024)– Irish cultural adaptation
  • Body Image Journal  (2023) – Minneapolis pilot study
  • BMC Public Health (2023) – RCT protocol
• Let’s Eat Is Scheduled for Pilot Testing in 2026! Let’s Eat had an incredibly successful launch this year, and its popularity and demand continues to increase. We are partnering with Ramsey County Public Health and Dr. Jennifer Webb to pilot test Let’s Eat in Portland Oregon in February of next year. 
• Let’s Eat has joined the conversation! Be Real and Denise have been featured on 2 podcasts this year: The Sunny Side Up Podcast and The Burnt Toast Podcast. Hear how Let’s Eat is helping schools teach nutrition through a weight-neutral lens.
• Free Live Webinar. Be Real partnered with The Body-Positive Home to host a free live webinar where Denise walked through Let’s Eat: The Nutrition Lesson That Could Have Made a Difference. Participants learned about a weight-neutral, science-based nutrition curriculum that offers a safer and more protective way to teach nutrition. A recording of the session is available for those who couldn’t attend live.
• The BE REAL Ambassador program is expanding, with more than 150 ambassadors across the country. Our vibrant community continues to thrive as ambassadors share our resources nationwide and connect during our quarterly meetings. This year, we’re excited to highlight ambassadors who will represent Be Real at the 2025 Annual Massachusetts AHPERD Convention and present our curricula in New York City schools. We’re proud to see our ambassadors helping expand Be Real’s reach and impact in their communities.
• Be Real is on the ‘Gram! Follow us on Instagram, where we break down key body image terms, share helpful tips and tools, highlight the Be Real community, and post stats about what’s happening in the body image world.

Thank you for your past support at GlobalGiving. We could use your help now more than ever to create Body Confident Schools everywhere!

Confidently yours,

Denise Hamburger

Executive Director of BE REAL