Media Literacy in the Prevention of Eating Disorders

The role of media literacy in body dissatisfaction and disordered eating: A systematic review

“…The eligibility criteria excluded ML-based body dissatisfaction and eating disorder prevention studies which did not assess individual levels of ML (e.g., González et al, 2011;Halliwell et al, 2011;Wilksch et al, 2015). This criterion was selected to enable examination of the empirical relationship between ML and body and eating outcomes; if ML is not assessed, it cannot be ascertained whether an intervention has modified ML.…”

“…This criterion was selected to enable examination of the empirical relationship between ML and body and eating outcomes; if ML is not assessed, it cannot be ascertained whether an intervention has modified ML. However, it should be noted that other ML body and eating concern interventions have been reported and a review of their effects on body and eating concerns outcomes has recently been conducted (Wilksch & Wade, 2015).…”

“…The second main aim of the study is to identify the role of individuals' ML in preventing body and eating concerns. A recent review of published prevention programs concluded that ML programs with particular characteristics, such as being targeted at universal, early adolescent audiences and having long duration, produced positive outcomes (Wilksch & Wade, 2015), however, in that review actual outcomes on participants' ML were not examined. It is not our aim to replicate this review of outcomes for body and eating concerns variables, but rather to extend these findings by attempting to establish the specific role of improving ML in interventions producing positive outcomes for body and eating concerns.…”

“…Although higher levels of ML have been assumed to protect against the negative impact of idealised appearance media on body and eating concerns and although there have been reviews of the potential of ML approaches to be effective in prevention of these concerns (Levine & Kelly, 2012) and of outcomes for body and eating concerns from participation in ML interventions (Wilksch & Wade, 2015), there has not been a review of the relationship between body and eating concerns and ML as an individual difference variable (i.e., a trait).…”

Do universal media literacy programs have an effect on weight and shape concern by influencing media internalization?

“…We found that being randomly allocated to a media literacy intervention ( Media Smart ) as opposed to a healthy lifestyle intervention ( Life Smart ) resulted in lower levels of MI post‐intervention which in turn resulted in less growth in weight concern and shape concern. This relationship was hypothesized because of the strong central message in media literacy programs on enabling young people to be critical consumers of the media (Hobbs, ) and to decrease adherence to stereotypes or pressure to conform more generally (Wilksch & Wade, ). Media both influences and reinforces prevailing social norms, beliefs, and attitudes about appearance, and the effects of media exposure on body image and eating pathology have been well documented.…”