Primary prevention of eating disorders: might it do more harm than good?

• Published in: The International journal of eating disorders Vol. 22; no. 2; pp. 167 - 172
• Main Authors: Carter, J.C, Stewart, D.A, Dunn, V.J, Fairburn, C.G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01-09-1997; Wiley; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adolescent; ALIMENTACION RACIONADA; ALIMENTATION RATIONNEE; Biological and medical sciences; CHILDREN; CONTROL DE ENFERMEDADES; CONTROLE DE MALADIES; dietary restraint; DISEASE CONTROL; DISEASE PREVENTION; Eating disorders; EDUCACION; EDUCATION; ENFANT; EVALUACION; EVALUATION; Feeding and Eating Disorders - prevention & control; Female; Follow-Up Studies; FORECASTING; GIRLS; HEALTH; Health Education - organization & administration; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; JEUNESSE; JUVENTUD; Medical sciences; Mental health; NINOS; Pilot Projects; Prevention; prevention program; Prevention. Health policy. Planification; Primary Prevention - organization & administration; PROGRAM EVALUATION; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; RESTRICTED FEEDING; SALUD; SANTE; School Health Services - organization & administration; Schools; Social psychiatry. Ethnopsychiatry; Students; Surveys and Questionnaires; TECHNIQUE DE PREVISION; TECNICAS DE PREDICCION; YOUTH; Human; Social environment; Prevention; Sanitary program; Adolescent; Female; Educational schedule; Eating disorder; School environment; Public health
• ISSN: 0276-3478; 1098-108X
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1098-108X(199709)22:2<167::AID-EAT8>3.0.CO;2-D

Objective: The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate a new school-based eating disorder prevention program designed to reduce dietary restraint. Method: forty-six school-girls, aged 13-14 years, took part. The intervention consisted of eight weekly sessions of 45 min duration. A battery of self-report questionnaires was administered before and after the intervention and 6 months later. Results: Unlike previous prevention studies, there was not only an increase in knowledge at postintervention but there was also a decrease in target behavior and attitudes. However, these effects were short-lived since they had disappeared 6 months later: indeed, at 6-month follow-up there was an increase in dietary restraint compared with baseline. Discussion: These findings suggest that the intervention had been counterproductive since it led to an increase in dietary restraint. They imply that school-based prevention programs may do more harm than good