The body image and eating habits of young girls in a rural Ontarian elementary school using the Comprehensive School Health program

Zeina Abou-Rizk 4252551 The purpose of this study was to develop a better understanding of the body image, eating habits, and health perceptions of girls in a rural Ontarian elementary school using the Comprehensive School Health program. A case-study design was used for tins project Two interviews were conducted with the principal and with the 6th grade teacher. In addition, two focus groups were held with the girls of the 6th grade. The focus groups consisted of group discussions with the girls, the administration of the Collins Body Figures Scale (Collins, 1991), as well as a shortened version of the Children’s Eating Attitude Test-26 questionnaire (ChEAT26) (Maloney, McGuire, & Daniels, 1988). The results showed that there were very few health education initiatives related to body image and nutrition for the grade 6 class of the school, and suggested that the girls had healthy eating habits and low levels of body dissatisfaction. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to thank all the participants for their willingness to take part in this study, and specifically the young girls for their openness and enthusiasm to share their personal experiences. Your contribution to this study was very rich and valuable. I want to thank my supervisor Professor Charlotte Beaudoin from the bottom of my heart. Her valuable guidance and direction have nurtured my research visions, and instilled in me the desire to continue my studies at the doctorate level. Her words of wisdom will always be present with me and will be a source of faith, perseverance, and will. It has truly been a great honour to work with you, Professor Charlotte. I would also like to thank my colleague and friend Tracy Moore for being such an agreeable person to work with. I think that we made a great team together, and I hope that our friendship bond will remain strong forever. Most of all, I would like to thank my parents. Their unconditional love gave me the strength I needed along the way. I am very grateful for their patience, encouragement, and faith in me. I thank God every day for being blessed with parents like you, and I hope that I am making you as proud as I want you to be. Moreover, the presence of my lovely sisters, Norma and Mima, during the journey was priceless. Spending quality time together and sharing moments of laughter with them has always been a way to relax and distance myself from the stress of graduate studies, when I needed to. I would like to address a big thank you to my dear friend Yasmina, as she helped me rigorously in adapting to the new environment I was put in. Thank you for standing beside me in ups and downs during these two years. I really value our friendship, as well as the great times we spent together, and am looking forward to greater ones in the future. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. I also need to acknowledge my aunt, Wadad Rahme. Throughout all these years, she has been much more than an aunt to me. You will always have a special place in my heart and I am forever grateful for your sincere support, care, and love. Finally, special gratitude goes to a very special person, my cousin, Dr. Halla Rahme Sahely, who has been a great listener, advisor, and friend in times of need. Halla, you were and are a true inspiration to me. Thank you! Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.