October Health – 2025 Report

Body image in Canada

The leading cause of body image stress in Canada at the population level is largely driven by pervasive societal and media influences. This includes unrealistic beauty standards promoted through social media, advertising, and popular culture that emphasize idealized body types. Workplace environments can also contribute when appearance expectations or discrimination based on looks occur. Addressing these stressors through workplace mental health initiatives, like group sessions from October, can help employees build resilience and a healthier body image.

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Body image Prevalence
21.98%
Affected people
12,089,000

Impact on the people of Canada

Effects of High Body Image Stress on Health and Personal Life

  • Mental Health Impacts:

    • Increased risk of anxiety and depression
    • Lowered self-esteem and confidence
    • Development of eating disorders or harmful behaviors

  • Physical Health Consequences:

    • Neglect of physical health or overexertion through extreme dieting or exercise
    • Sleep disturbances due to stress and worry

  • Personal Life Challenges:

    • Social withdrawal or isolation due to embarrassment or shame
    • Strained relationships, difficulty in intimacy or communication
    • Reduced work performance and engagement due to distraction or low mood

Supporting employees with resources like digital group sessions and assessments from platforms like October can help mitigate these effects by fostering a healthier mindset around body image at work.

Impact on the Canada Economy

Effect of High Body Image Stress on an Economy

  • Reduced Productivity: Employees experiencing body image stress may have decreased concentration, motivation, and energy at work, leading to lower output.
  • Increased Absenteeism: Mental health struggles related to body image can result in more sick days and leaves, affecting workforce availability.
  • Higher Healthcare Costs: Greater incidence of mental health issues linked to body image stress increases costs for employer-provided healthcare and disability benefits.
  • Lower Employee Engagement: Stress can reduce job satisfaction and engagement, leading to higher turnover rates and recruitment costs.
  • Stigma and Discrimination: Workplaces with poor body image climates may foster discrimination, reducing overall morale and collaboration.

Workplace Recommendation:
Implement workplace mental health programs addressing body image stress, such as October's digital group sessions and assessments, to promote body positivity and reduce related stress, ultimately benefiting employee well-being and economic productivity.

What can government do to assist? 

 Strategies for a Country to Lower Body Image Stress

1. **Promote Media Literacy Programs**  
   Educate citizens on critical consumption of media to reduce the impact of unrealistic body standards.

2. **Encourage Diverse and Inclusive Representation**  
   Support diversity in advertising and media to reflect a wide range of body types, ethnicities, ages, and abilities.

3. **Implement School-Based Education**  
   Integrate body positivity and self-esteem curricula at all education levels to build resilience from a young age.

4. **Regulate Advertising and Social Media**  
   Enforce policies that limit digitally altered images and promote transparency about image editing.

5. **Support Workplace Mental Health Initiatives**  
   Encourage employers to provide resources, such as digital group sessions and assessments (e.g., via platforms like October), to help employees manage body image stress and related mental health challenges.

6. **Public Health Campaigns**  
   Launch national campaigns highlighting healthy lifestyles and self-acceptance rather than appearance-focused goals.

These measures, combined, can create an environment less conducive to body image stress and foster better mental health across populations.

What can businesses do to assist their employees?

  • Promote diverse and inclusive representations in company materials and communications to reflect all body types.
  • Encourage healthy habits rather than appearance-focused goals through workplace wellness programs.
  • Provide access to mental health resources, such as October's digital group sessions on self-esteem and body image.
  • Train managers to recognize and address body image stress sensitively, fostering a supportive environment.
  • Cultivate a workplace culture that values skills and contributions over physical appearance.