Target audiences

The target audiences for communicating about eating disorders are wide ranging. As a result, the messages and intent will vary between audiences, ranging from promotion, prevention and early intervention through to help seeking for eating disorders.

Puberty is a time of great change biologically, physically and psychologically. Teenagers are often vulnerable to societal pressures and can feel insecure and self conscious, factors that increase the risk of developing an eating disorder. Subsequently, adolescents and their peers are a key audience for communication efforts.

Research shows that adolescents are confused about eating disorders (Inspire Digital, 2010). Young people recognise that eating disorders are potentially harmful; however they also accept body ‘obsession’ and dieting as normal parts of growing up.

In order to communicate effectively with young people, the avenues taken must be appropriate to what is known about the way teenagers receive, absorb and accept information.

Messages for young people should:

• Emphasise positive behaviours for good health
• Seek to build self-esteem and self-determination
• Target perfectionism and the thin-ideal internalisation
• Include media literacy

Parents and extended family members are instrumental in providing early education on health, achievement and well-being. Families serve as role models and can, often inadvertently, place pressure on children and young people to achieve unrealistic standards.

However, with appropriate education and training, parents and families can support their children by reinforcing appropriate messages they are hearing from school programs. Similarly, families can contradict inappropriate messages their children are receiving from the media, through fashion magazines and through film and TV.

• Parents and families require messages that assist to identify symptoms and encourage help-seeking
• Give guidance on teaching their children healthy eating patterns
• Promote positive body image. Parents and carers can often have negative body image themselves and require support for both their own needs and as role models.
• Explain the facts about eating disorders, and provides information on access to treatment and support
• Enhance recognition of risk

Educational institutions play a large and ongoing role in the influence of young people and are therefore instrumental in delivering positive messaging about body image and healthy eating and exercise behaviours.

Schools can be engaged through media literacy programs, the compulsory inclusion of relevant content in the curriculum, contact with medical professionals, and professional development days.

Find school resources and programs

Related institutions that have been identified as target audiences include dance schools, gyms and sporting clubs. Some major junior sports (i.e. soccer and netball) are run through their association; however, most are run by volunteers. This can make it more challenging to access and engage these networks.
 

While there may be strong discord between community understanding of eating disorders and that of mental health professionals, frontline health professionals frequently reflect the dominant ideas of their society.

Misconceptions about eating disorders can directly impact the responses and explanations a person with an eating disorder may receive when he/she presents for help from a general practitioner or other health professional. This may lead to failure or delay to diagnose and treat the eating disorder, as well as causing distress and shame to the person who is seeking help. Information and education for front line professionals is an important approach to enabling the prevention and early intervention of eating disorders.

Find current programs and resources available for frontline professionals working in the community

Find current programs and resources available for people working in the sport and fitness sector

The media in Australia plays a figural role in communicating about eating disorders and promoting positive body image. Communication is not consistent, and depending on the media outlet information may vary between supportive and helpful for raising awareness of eating disorders to negatively reinforcing at risk behaviours in vulnerable audiences.

At present, the best resource for journalists and editors is the Mindframe National Media Initiative

While the Mindframe Initiative does contain relevant information for those working in fashion and beauty journalism, the fashion and beauty industry is currently outside the scope of Mindframe and in need of more research and established communications strategies.

It is of relevance that the fashion industry, advertising and fashion magazines are all in communication with each other and linked in their approaches. As a result of this, the influence of the fashion and beauty industries flows into advertising styles and body image representations in magazines.
 

For more information on communicating about eating disorders download the NEDC Communications Strategic Framework

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