School-Based Prevention Efforts Addressing the Sociocultural Risk Factors of Eating Disorders

Today's young people are surrounded by sociocultural messages that promote thinness and create high levels of body dissatisfaction. Children and adolescents consequently develop disordered eating behaviors and experience detrimental effects to their development in physical, social-emotional, and academic arenas. Given the many barriers to the effective treatment of full-blown eating disorders, there is currently a push towards administering early prevention efforts within schools. In particular, school mental health programs can work with school staff to create a supportive environment to encourage higher levels of body satisfaction, counter negative sociocultural messages, and help to prevent the development of eating disorders. This article will explore and define the relationship between sociocultural risk factors and the prevalence of eating disorders, supply a rationale for addressing eating disorders within school-based mental health programs, provide a brief review and analysis of some important prevention programs within schools, and suggest recommendations for further research and school-based program development.