Dissonance-based eating disorder prevention among Brazilian young women: A randomized efficacy trial of the Body Project

Abstract

A randomized controlled trial was conducted to assess the efficacy of the Body Project eating disorder prevention program in reducing eating disorder risk factors and symptoms in young Brazilian women. A total of 141 female university students aged 18–30 years old were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: assessment-only condition (n = 78) and Body Project condition (n = 63). Participants completed scales assessing body dissatisfaction, sociocultural influence, disordered eating attitudes and behaviors, eating disorders symptoms, body appreciation, depressive mood and negative affect at baseline, posttest, and at 1- and 6-month follow-ups. Body Project participants showed significantly greater reductions in body dissatisfaction, sociocultural influence, disordered eating, eating disorder symptoms, depressive symptoms, and negative affect, and greater increases in body appreciation (d = .35–.48) compared to assessment-only participants. Most of the effects persisted through 6-month follow-up (d = .35–.74). Results provide evidence that the Body Project is an effective intervention to reduce eating disorder risk factors and eating disorder symptoms among Brazilian young women, and that this intervention is naturally culturally adaptive.