Prevention of eating disorders: a review of the evidence-based programs

Introduction. Eating disorders are widespread illnesses that affect different segments of population. Their prevention is a public health priority. The aim of this review is to provide a detailed description and analysis of the features of effective prevention programs, since they haven’t been described in Russian yet. Materials and methods. Electronic databases “Web of Science”, “Google Scholar” were searched using a list of keywords. Results. Some of the main principles for developing an effective, widely applicable program are described, paying special attention to the «first, do no harm» principle. The major achievements in the field of eating disorders prevention, it’s current state and directions for further research are briefly discussed. Some of the well-known prevention programs (including the “Media Smart”, a media literacy program which helps students to challenge media messages and critically evaluate media images of thin ideal; the “Body Project”, a prevention program designed to help young women with body dissatisfaction confront unrealistic appearance ideals and resist sociocultural pressures; and the “StudentBodies”, a cognitive-behavioral program for women at high risk for eating disorder onset) are presented as examples of successful evidence-based intervention and described in details. Conclusion. Broader implementation of these programs can help to reduce the prevalence of eating disorders and prevent economic, social and psychological damage associated with them.