Multiple Literacy - Multimodality /// Monday 24 June 2024

Health and Wellness


The publication of this e-magazine aims to advocate mental health on university campuses by guiding and supporting all students to overcome the stigma of appearance-based anxiety. We will highlight various factors that eventuate appearance-based anxiety and clarify specific student groups being targeted. From the cultural aspect, colorism is a skin-tone discrimination that negatively impacts the self-esteem of African-American students, subsequently creating appearance-based anxiety that harms mental health. Moreover, social norms and social competitions give rise to appearance-based anxiety among East Asian students, this cultural factor affects the self-confidence of one’s body image in a harmful manner. From the digital aspect, social media enhances students’ exposure to unhealthy comparisons of body image, inducing appearance-based anxiety and muscle dysmorphia among general university students. To promote mental health, exercise interventions bring the benefit of improving self-image and resolving psychological distress such as appearance-based anxiety among Chinese students. The content of this e-magazine is applicable to all members of the diversified student body in universities. Hope everyone can enjoy reading!