The impact of professional development about weight-related issues for pre-service teachers: A pilot study

Many teachers do not have a working knowledge of body image or weight issues. This pilot project examined body image satisfaction and eating/weight-related behaviours before and after a professional in-service with physical education pre-service teachers (N = 16). At the three-month follow-up, measures were repeated and qualitative data (critical incidents and a focus group) about the impact on teaching practice was collected. Results showed no significant changes, however pre-service teachers indicated (a) attempting to lose weight or gain muscle (despite many being in a healthy weight range), and (b) having a biased approach to weight-related issues. Pre-service teachers, particularly those specializing in physical education, are not immune to cultural messages that perpetuate the thin ideal. Future evaluation with a larger sample that formally measures implicit and explicit weight-bias is needed. Providing professional development for pre-service teachers may promote more positive practice about body image, weight-bias, and weight/eating-related concerns in schools.