An attempt to modify unhealthful eating attitudes and weight regulation practices of young adolescent girls

Abstract

This is the first long‐term, controlled study evaluating the effectiveness of a prevention curriculum designed to modify the eating attitudes and unhealthful weight regulation practices of young adolescent girls. Nine hundred sixty‐seven sixth and seventh‐grade girls were randomized to experimental healthy weight regulation curriculum or no‐treatment control classes. A prevention intervention was developed around three principal components: (1) Instruction on the harmful effects of unhealthful weight regulation; (2) promotion of healthful weight regulation through the practice of sound nutrition and dietary principles and regular aerobic physical activity; (3) development of coping skills for resisting the diverse sociocultural influences that appear linked to the current popular obsessions with thinness and dieting. The intervention failed to achieve the hoped‐for impact. We did observe a significant increase in knowledge among girls receiving the intervention and among high‐risk students only, there was a small albeit statistically significant effect on body mass index. These findings question the wisdom of providing a curriculum directed at all young adoles cents, most of whom are not at risk to develop an eating disorder. Rather than targeting the entire population, a healthy weight curriculum designed to modify the eating attitudes and unhealthful weight regulation practices of young adolescent girls might better focus on “at risk” students. © 1993 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Integrated prevention of obesity and eating disorders: barriers, developments and opportunities

“…Only four programmes included BMI measures (77)(78)(79)(80) , only one included a questionnaire on food habits (81) , and only two included components addressing to health promotion and healthy weight control (78,82) . These meta-analyses, focusing on ED prevention, have reviewed studies aimed at child, adolescent and adult populations, using different types of prevention approaches (77,78,80,82,140) designed to address eating attitudes and behaviours and other adolescent issues in the general community or those classified as being at high risk for ED, and insufficient evidence to support the effect of two programmes (79,81) designed to improve self-esteem. > Data from two didactic (141,142) ED awareness programmes could not be pooled for analysis.…”

The Adverse Effect of Negative Comments About Weight and Shape From Family and Siblings on Women at High Risk for Eating Disorders

“…14 Women with a WCS score Ն50 were invited to participate in a randomized study designed to determine whether an Internet-based psychoeducation program based on a cognitive behavioral model and techniques would prevent EDs. Interested and eligible participants provided informed consent to participate in the study.…”

Prevalence, incidence and prospective risk factors for eating disorders

“…Dieting has been considered a major risk factor for development of ED (4), but when considering the uniformly negative results of attempts to reduce the prevalence of dieting among young girls (e.g. (5,6)), it seems even more important to study other risk factors than dieting which can be modi®ed and thus implemented in prevention programmes and early treatment.…”