There is a lot more to us than how we look, says Butterfly Foundation speaker

So many of our conversations are centred around appearance when there is a lot more to us than how we look, says the organisation's head of communication and engagement.

Ms Wilton will discuss the importance of how we think, feel and respond to our bodies during a special event being hosted by Business Women Albury Wodonga on April 4.

The event is designed to ignite discussions about the often-overlooked impact of body image on both professional and personal life through a collaboration with Australia's leading charity that supports families and individuals affected by eating disorders and body image issues.

"The thing about body image is that it impacts so many aspects of people's lives," Ms Wilton said.

"Body dissatisfaction is a big issue - over half of Australians are dissatisfied with their bodies.

"And we know that body image is the biggest 'modifiable' risk for developing an eating disorder."

Part of Ms Wilton's message when she speaks to the Border's business women will be around understanding and strengthening body image.

"There is a lot of societal pressure on having the ideal body - and for most people that's not even attainable," she explained.

"The pressure to change the body we are born with is intense and it can be hard to stay true to yourself."

Factors such as social media, the way we were raised by our parents and even appearance-based comments in the lunch room can all have an impact, she added.

"It's important to look at our bodies as vessels that support us, so therefore we need to nourish and respect our bodies.

"It's really hard because so many of our conversations are around appearance ... if someone loses weight, people will say how good they look.

"Instead we should focus our comments on how well someone did something, for example."

Devastatingly these patterns can start young and extend into adulthood, profoundly impacting how people engage in life - from poor classroom participation or reluctance to engage in physical activity to anxiety, depression and disordered eating, according to Ms Wilton.

But there are ways to "arm yourself" to become more resilient and resourceful when it comes to body image, she added.

Building your "social media literacy" is a really powerful tool.

Curate your own feed, Ms Wilton urges, and assist your children to do the same (that might include parental controls to restrict access to certain content).

"Block or delete content or people that's don't make you feel good and follow a diverse range of accounts," she advised.

"Don't just follow bodies and people."

But the most critical piece of advice she can give is to role model body positivity.

"Think about how you talk about your own body in front of others and particularly your children," Ms Wilton urged.

"Be a role model for talking about all the amazing things we can do with our bodies!"