A School-Based Intervention to Prevent Disordered Eating in Middle School Students

NCT07885631 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 2025-TYL-SABE-0038
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 235
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study aimed to develop an educational program for the prevention of disordered eating behaviors among middle school students and to evaluate its effectiveness. The study was conducted with seventh-grade students and their parents at a middle school in Izmir, Türkiye. Classes were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups. The three-week educational program focused on body image, social media literacy, and healthy eating attitudes. The effects of the program were evaluated by comparing eating attitudes, body satisfaction, social media literacy, sociocultural appearance attitudes, dietary quality, nutrient intake, and anthropometric measurements between the groups over time.

Conditions

Disordered Eating Behaviors

Keywords

disordered eating behaviour; body image; adolescent; social media; education

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) Score

  Eating attitudes were assessed using a 24-item version of the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26). Total scores range from 0 to 72, with higher scores indicating a greater risk of disordered eating attitudes and behaviors.

  Baseline, immediately post-intervention (intervention group only), and 12-week follow-up

Secondary Outcomes (8)

• Change in Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire Short Parent Version (EDE-QS-P) Score

  Baseline, immediately post-intervention (intervention group only), and 12-week follow-up

• Change in Body Satisfaction

  Baseline, immediately post-intervention (intervention group only), and 12-week follow-up

• Change in Sociocultural Attitudes

  Baseline, immediately post-intervention (intervention group only), and 12-week follow-up

• Change in Social Media Literacy

  Baseline, immediately post-intervention (intervention group only), and 12-week follow-up

• Change in BMI-for-Age Z-Score

  Baseline and 12-week follow-up

Study Arms (2)

Usual School Curriculum

NO INTERVENTION

The control group continued its regular school curriculum with their teachers during the three-week intervention period.

Disordered Eating Prevention Education

EXPERIMENTAL

The intervention group received a three-week educational program consisting of six 40-minute sessions focused on body image, social media literacy, and healthy eating attitudes. Parents of students in the intervention group also received one 40-minute educational session.

Behavioral: School-Based Disordered Eating Prevention Education Program

Interventions

School-Based Disordered Eating Prevention Education Program BEHAVIORAL

The intervention consisted of three student modules and one parent module. The first module focused on body image, body satisfaction, body acceptance, and the prevention of weight- and body-related peer bullying. It was delivered by a psychologist specializing in adolescent psychology and included scenarios, videos, and positive peer feedback activities. The second module addressed social media literacy, unrealistic appearance ideals, dieting myths, online information reliability, screen time, and family meals. The third module covered healthy and balanced nutrition, food groups, the balanced plate model, and physical activity, including a classroom-based plate activity. Previous session topics were briefly reviewed at the beginning of each module. Six weeks after the intervention, a 10-minute refresher session was delivered by the researcher, a dietitian. The parent session addressed eating disorders, their symptoms and risk factors, and healthy nutrition principles.

Disordered Eating Prevention Education

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 12 Years - 13 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Enrolled in the seventh grade at the school where the study is conducted.
• Aged 11-13 years.

You may not qualify if:

• Having any health condition that would prevent the participant from completing the questionnaires.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Izmir Katip Celebi University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Mediha Mahmutbey Secondary School

Izmir, İzmir, 35000, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Disordered Eating Behavior

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Model Details: This was a cluster-randomized controlled educational intervention study conducted with seventh-grade students at a middle school in İzmir, Türkiye.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 11, 2026
• First Posted: October 21, 2026
• Study Start: November 2, 2025
• Primary Completion: February 2, 2026
• Study Completion: May 5, 2026
• Last Updated: October 21, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)