CurriculumGrades 6-8Health & Physical Education

Nutrition, energy needs, and healthy body image

Aligned to NHES 1 — SHAPE America National Standards.

What this lesson teaches

During adolescence your body grows quickly and needs good fuel from balanced meals to power that growth and your activity. A healthy body image means valuing what your body can do rather than chasing the unrealistic looks shown in media. Avoid fad diets and harsh food labels, and focus on nourishing yourself.

Worked example

Instead of skipping meals to look a certain way, fuel your growing body with balanced meals and think of food as energy that lets you run, focus, and feel good.

Practice questions

  1. Why do teens need plenty of good nutrition?
  2. What is a healthy body image?
  3. Name one reason fad diets can be harmful.

Watch the lesson

Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.

▶ Watch this lesson

En español

Nutrición, necesidades de energía e imagen corporal saludable

Durante la adolescencia, tu cuerpo crece rápidamente y necesita una buena fuente de energía proveniente de comidas balanceadas para sostener ese crecimiento y tus actividades. Tener una imagen corporal saludable significa valorar lo que tu cuerpo puede hacer, en lugar de perseguir los estándares de apariencia poco realistas que muestran los medios de comunicación. Evita las dietas de moda y las etiquetas negativas sobre los alimentos; en cambio, enfócate en nutrirse bien.

Ejemplo: En lugar de saltarte comidas para verte de cierta manera, aliméntate con comidas balanceadas y piensa en la comida como la energía que te permite correr, concentrarte y sentirte bien.

More Health lessons

Puberty, growth, and developmentNHES 1Mental and emotional health and copingNHES 7Healthy relationships, boundaries, and communicationNHES 4Substance use prevention and refusal skillsNHES 4Digital safety and evaluating health informationNHES 3Sleep, screen time, and healthy habitsNHES 7

Teach this lesson today

An AI tutor that guides with questions instead of just giving answers — all K–12 core subjects, every child in the family.

Start free — no card required