A pilot intervention to reduce eating disorder risk in Latina women

The current study tested the effects of an eating disorder risk reduction programme (Food, Mood and Attitude (FMA)) with Latina women.

Fifty-two female Latina college students were screened. Of these, 28 eligible women were administered a questionnaire packet prior to and approximately 2 months and again 1 year after completing a 2-hour computer-based risk reduction programme called FMA and participating in two 2-hour discussion groups about risk factors for eating disorders.

Paired sample t-tests indicated significant changes from pre- to post-assessment on the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDEQ)-shape concerns subscale (p = .002), Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2)-body dissatisfaction (BD) subscale (p < .001) and the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ; p = .006). Significant changes in binge frequency also occurred (p = .006). Changes on three of these measures were maintained at the 1-year follow-up assessment.

This small-scale study suggests that FMA may reduce some risk factors for eating disorders in Latina college women.