Community-Based Prevention Programs for Disordered Eating and Obesity: Updates and Current Limitations

To review the status of community-based disordered eating and obesity prevention programs from 2014 to 2019.

In the last 5 years, prevention programs have found success in intervening with children and parental figures in wellness centers, physical activity centers, childcare centers, workplaces, online, and over-the-phone through directly reducing disordered eating and obesity or by targeting risk factors of disordered eating and obesity. Community-based prevention programs for disordered eating and programs targeting both disordered eating and obesity were scarce, highlighting the critical need for the development of these programs. Qualities of the most effective programs were those in which parents and children were educated on physical activity and nutrition via multiple group-based sessions. Limitations of current prevention programs include few programs targeting high-risk populations, a dearth of trained community members serving as facilitators, inconsistent reporting of adherence rates, and few direct measurements of disordered eating and obesity, as well as few long-term follow-ups, precluding the evaluation of sustained effectiveness.