Eating Disorder Prevention and Intervention Programs

This topic is one of special interest to me. I attended an all-girls school in high school, and I belonged to a sorority (as well as lived in the sorority house) in college. In both of these settings, I knew many people who had unhealthy relationships with food, but who never received counseling or interventions. Although eating disorders are certainly NOT exclusive to young women, their prevalence among females is higher than their prevalence among men. Here are some of the important points I took away from my experience, as well as the research I have performed in this area.  

Incidence rates of students with eating disorders are rapidly increasing.

•  An estimated 80% of all students have dieted by the time they reach 4^th grade.

• An estimated 3-10% of children and adolescents have been diagnosed with an eating disorder. This ONLY includes individuals who have been identified. Many children with eating disorders go un-identified!

Categories of Eating Disorders:

• Anorexia Nervosa - includes refusal to maintain a healthy weight, for females the menstrual cycle stops, intense fear of weight gain

• Bulimia Nervosa - recurrent episodes of binge eating and purging or throwing-up that occurs at least 2 times/week for 3 months

• Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified - ED-NOS: versions of Anorexia and Bulimia without ALL characteristics (for example- chewing and spitting out food, binge eating without purging, using laxatives to purge food, etc.)

Risk Factors:

There are biological, social, and psychological risk factors for eating disorders. Look for the following aspects in the students you work with. If you find that a student is at risk in any of these areas, contact your school psychologist or school counselor for help:

• Body Image Dissatisfaction

• Recurrent Dieting

• Weight Related Teasing

• Low Self-Esteem

• Internalization of the Thin Ideal

The effects that an eating disorder can have on a student’s ability to perform in school are numerous. Look for the following aspects in the students you work with:

• Impaired Cognitive Development

• Decreased Ability to Concentrate

• Difficulty Processing and Retaining Information

• Increased Absenteeism

INTERVENTION & COUNSELING

Interventions must include an emphasis on health development and the prevention of symptoms for all students. Treatment should include a comprehensive assessment of the students, and treatment for students (at the individualized or group level). What follows is a list of evidence based intervention programs for school staff to use with students who are at risk or are showing symptoms of an eating disorder.

Intervention Programs and Strategies to use in counseling:

• Eating Smart, Eating for Me (wellness program at the group or school wide level)

• Healthy Body Image (wellness program at the group or school wide level)

• Full of Ourselves (wellness program at the group or school wide level)

• Student Bodies (internet based approach to counseling)

• My Body, My Life (internet based approach to counseling)

• Guided Relaxation  (in-school  and home technique)

• Supportive and Reflective Listening (in-school and home technique)

• Cognitive Dissonance Training (in-school therapy technique)

• Solution-Focused Therapy (in-school therapy technique)

• Family Therapy (referral sources for additional support)

• Nutritional Counseling (referral sources for additional support)

• Medication  (referral sources for additional support)