How We Stop Diet Culture (One Choice at a Time)

Diet culture runs deep. We’ve all absorbed messages about “good” and “bad” foods, ideal body types, and how our worth is tied to our appearance. These messages show up in schools, media, locker rooms, dinner tables—and most of all, in our thoughts.

When something is that embedded, it might feel impossible to change. Like trying to “boil the ocean.”

But it’s not. In fact, we know prevention works.

Cultural Change Is Possible—We’ve Seen It Before

Think about sunscreen. Not long ago, it was common to tan with baby oil and reflectors. Then the research came in. Education followed. Sunscreen became the norm.

Or smoking. It used to be everywhere—in homes, cars, even hospitals. Then science showed how harmful secondhand smoke is, especially for kids. People didn’t need to be perfect. They just needed to make small, consistent changes. Today, smoking indoors is widely unacceptable.

The same can happen with diet culture.

It’s Not About Being Perfect. It’s About Being Consistent.

Every day, you have a chance to interrupt harmful messages—and that makes a real impact.

• When you avoid connecting food or movement to weight or appearance, you help kids focus on what matters: energy, joy, connection.

• When a coach praises effort instead of weight loss, they create a safer space for their team.

• When a teacher skips body talk during lunch, kids feel more at ease.

• When you change your inner dialogue—from judgment to appreciation—you model what it means to respect your body for what it does, not how it looks.

These shifts may seem small. But they’re powerful. And they add up.

We Can Break the Cycle

Diet culture is passed down. But that means it can also stop with you.

You don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to change everything overnight. You just have to be willing to notice, pause, and choose differently—especially when kids are watching.

So no, we’re not boiling the ocean. We’re planting seeds. And those seeds can grow into a world where no child feels like their body needs to be fixed.

Want help navigating tricky conversations about body image? Watch our free 3 Simple Shifts video to learn what to say—and what not to say—to support kids’ health and well-being.