A prevention program for a high-risk setting that I developed and implemented for the National Ballet School in Toronto has been found to be associated with decreased distress regarding body shape and lower incidence of eating disorders. The school policy strictly forbids dieting before the age of 16, when growth is complete. Students feel empowered to refuse to diet even if pressured because they know the school administration will support them. Targeting the Adults In implementing a program, changing the way the adults around the children operate is essential. It is important to work with teachers and parents to address their prejudices regarding body shape and acceptable weights, and inform them about the risks of severe unsupervised dieting, especially for the adolescent.
Family members can serve to either buffer or accentuate negative social factors.
They may be unaware of the impact a negative comment may have on the development of destructive eating patterns. One study showed that a parent's teasing of a child about his or her body had a more negative effect on body image than teasing by a peer. 3 Strategies That May Work For successful implementation, programs must be well thought through and followed up. Some strategies that have been effective in intervention with youth on other issues such as tobacco smoking and substance abuse may work, for example, peer group and image-building strategies. You can emphasize, for example, that dieting now can affect their weight and body proportions later.