Evaluating Priorities, a novel eating disorder prevention program targeting overvaluation of weight and shape

Our objective was to compare the Body Project eating disorder prevention program that targets pursuit of the thin ideal and has a broad evidence-base to Priorities, a new eating disorder prevention program that targets overvaluation of weight and shape, a novel transdiagnostic risk factor with greater predictive potency for future onset of all eating disorders, to explore which is more effective at reducing eating disorder risk factors and symptoms. Adolescent girls and young women recruited for a trial comparing two body acceptance interventions (N = 87; ages 13-25) were randomized to Body Project or Priorities groups, which were delivered virtually by peer educators, and completed surveys assessing pursuit of the thin ideal, body dissatisfaction, dieting, negative affect, and eating disorder symptoms at pretest, posttest, and 1-month follow-up. Participants in both Body Project and Priorities groups showed significant reductions in risk factors and symptoms from pretest to 1-month follow-up, however, reductions in outcomes did not significantly differ between conditions. Within-condition reductions in outcomes for Priorities were generally similar to or larger than within-condition reductions in Body Project participants observed in this and prior trials (e.g., within-condition Cohen's d reduction in eating disorder symptoms was .81 for Priorities compared to an average within-condition Cohen's d =.53 for Body Project in this and six prior trials). The fact that Priorities produced reductions in outcomes comparable to the current eating disorder prevention program with the broadest evidence-base suggests that overvaluation of weight and shape may be a useful new intervention target for eating disorder prevention that warrants continued intervention refinement and evaluation of whether it produces greater reductions in eating disorders onset than other eating disorder programs with distinct intervention targets.