Body Friendly: prevention of cyberbullying and body shaming

Obesity is a social disease burdened by prejudices, stereotypes, inappropriate language and images: affected individuals are often bullied and stigmatized with significant physical and psychological repercussions.

The activity aims to raise awareness among high school students about the current issue of body shaming and cyberbullying towards adolescents with obesity. The aim  of the project will be to screen the population and prevent online risk behaviors connected to cyberbullying and body shaming profiles through the use of information flyers and short  questionnaires on eating behaviors and related risk behaviors. Social networks (Instagram and TikTok) will be used to disseminate reels for the prevention of the phenomenon. Small reports and podcasts with interviews with adolescents are also planned.

PARTECIPANTI: Mariella Valenzise – Professore Associato – Dipartimento di Patologia Umana dell’adulto e dell’età evolutiva; email mariella.valenzise@unime.it Giuseppina Salzano – Professore Associato – Dipartimento di Patologia Umana dell’adulto e dell’età evolutiva; email giuseppina.salzano@unime.it Carmela Mento – Professore Associato – Dipartimento di Scienze biomediche, odontoiatriche e delle immagini morfologiche e funzionali; email: carmela.mento@unime.it Angela Militi – Professore Associato – Dipartimento di Scienze biomediche, odontoiatriche e delle immagini morfologiche e funzionali; email: angela.militi@unime.it Francesco Pira – Professore Associato – Dipartimento di Civiltà Antiche e Moderne; email: francesco.pira@unime.it Gruppo di Lavoro: Mariella Valenzise, Giuseppina Salzano, Carmela Mento, Angela Militi, Francesco Pira, Alessandro Longo, Sara Aramnejad, Federica Zuccalà, Barbara Salvo, Giulia Esposito, Clara Lombardo, Maria Catena Silvestri, Cristina Bartolotta, Federica Arena, Francesca Godfrey, Claudia Scaramuzzino, Alessandra Accetta, Umberto Spaticchia, Roberta Casagrande, Valeria Caravella, Benny Zebito, Francesco Provvidenza, Francesco Pulella