Primary prevention
Primary prevention interventions aim to prevent the onset or development of an eating disorder, and may be universal, selective or indicated.
Universal prevention for children and young people
Universal prevention efforts target whole communities (e.g. national, local, community, district, school classroom) and aim to promote general health and well-being, foster resilience and reduce the risk of eating disorders amongst non-symptomatic populations. For example, this can be achieved in schools, by targeting the entire student body.
In the short-term, universal prevention programs may increase resiliency and decrease risk factors. In the long-term, it is expected that those changes will lead to fewer eating problems and fewer cases of eating disorders.
Universal prevention approaches:
- Aim to help all; they may help those who are at high-risk and prevent eating disorders onset long-term while also promoting the general health and well-being of those at minimal risk of eating disorders.
- May help children learn how to manage the socio-cultural influences linked to the development of body image dissatisfaction.
- Middle school students (ages 12 – 15) are an appropriate group for universal prevention approaches as many personal and environmental risk factors that can trigger an eating disorder are known to develop during this stage of early adolescence.
These include but are not limited to:
- natural increases in body fat and weight associated with puberty
- an increased desire for peer acceptance
- onset of romantic interest
- changes in academic expectations
The aims of universal interventions may include:
- Improving general health, nutrition, and psychological well-being e.g., self-esteem, positive body image
- Enhancing media literacy which promotes media advocacy and critical evaluation of media messages
- Helping children learn how to manage the socio-cultural influences linked to the development of body image dissatisfaction
- Reducing teasing, including weight-based teasing
Selective prevention for children and young people
Selective prevention programs are more discerning in their approach and instead of targeting the whole population (universal prevention) they target those at higher-risk. This commonly includes females, but may also include populations such as athletes and dancers.
Selective population interventions aim to promote general health and well-being, foster resilience and reduce the risk of eating disorders.
The aims of selective interventions may include:
- Improving general health, nutrition, and psychological well-being e.g., self-esteem, positive body image
- Enhancing media literacy which promotes media advocacy and critical evaluation of media messages
- Reducing teasing, including weight-based teasing
- Helping the person identify the costs of pursuing the Western cultural body ideal of “thin” (for girls) or “muscular/lean” (for boys)
- Promoting the adoption of healthy, balanced attitudes on body image, eating, and weight
- Reducing the importance placed on body shape and weight for defining personal success, happiness, and self-worth
- Providing education on the unhelpful physical and psychological effects of dieting and extreme dietary restriction
- Providing psychoeducation on balanced nutrition and physical activity
Indicated prevention for children and young people
Indicated prevention programs are more targeted in their approach, and are designed to maximise early detection and treatment for people with symptoms of eating disorders, who do not meet threshold diagnostic criteria, but are at high-risk for developing an eating disorder.
At this stage, interventions seek to reduce the symptoms related to eating disorders.
The aims of indicated interventions may include:
- Teaching the person healthy non-disordered eating ways of maintaining a healthy weight
- Enhancing media literacy which provides education on the media’s promotion of unrealistic standards of ‘beauty’ so that people learn to critically analyse media messages and thus reduce the risk for the development of eating disorders
- Having the person identify the costs of pursuing the Western cultural body ideal of “thin” (for girls) or “muscular/lean” (for boys)
- Promote the adoption of healthy, balanced attitudes on body image, eating, and weight
- Reduce the importance the person places on body shape and weight for defining personal success, happiness, and self-worth
- Education on the unhelpful physical and psychological effects of dieting and extreme dietary restriction
- Provide psychoeducation on balanced nutrition and physical activity
