A Breakthrough in Prevention of Eating Disorders

The authors of a recent study in Archives of General Psychiatry have found what they believe to be the first scientific evidence that eating disorders (EDs) are preventable in certain high-risk groups. 480 college-age women with weight and body issues were randomized to an 8-week, internet-based cognitive-behavioral intervention group and a control group. At a 3-year follow up there was no significant difference in onset of EDs between the intervention and control arms of the study. However, women in the intervention arm with high body mass indices and/or compensatory behaviors (eg, self-induced vomiting) at baseline were significantly less likely to have developed an ED at 3-year follow up. http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/63/8/881