title: Preventing eating disorders with an interactive gender-adapted intervention program in schools: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are a high number of adolescents who are at risk of developing an eating disorder. There is, therefore, a strong need to implement prevention programs aimed at reducing the incidence of eating disorders at this critical age. Among other factors, successful prevention programs have been shown to be interactive, carried out by professionals, focused on educational as well as psychosocial elements and have taken risk factors as well as resources into account. The objective of this study protocol is to present the design of a new prevention program for eating disorders in schools.
  
  
  METHODS
  The gender-adapted prevention program extends over six school hours. It contains interactive and educational elements about eating disorders and their treatment. Participants pass through different exercises and reflect on the influences of the media, self-esteem, body perception and individual resources. A cluster-randomized controlled trial is chosen to evaluate the program. Based on an estimated effect size of d = 0.3 a total of 1848 participants are enrolled in the study. Eating disorder risk, internalization of Western beauty ideals, body dissatisfaction, self-concept as well as anxiety and symptoms of depression are measured before and immediately after the intervention as well as at a six-month follow-up. In addition, the intervention group evaluates the different components of the program.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study intends to test the practicability and efficacy of an interactive, gender-adapted ED prevention program in schools. Moreover, it will provide valuable information about the occurrence of eating disorder risk factors in school-aged children.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ISRCTN97989348; Registered 19 December 2012.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf & Schön Klinik Hamburg Eilbek, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany. a.weigel@uke.de.
authors.forename: Angelika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weigel
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf & Schön Klinik Hamburg Eilbek, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany. a.gumz@uke.de.|Psychologische Hochschule Berlin, Am Köllnischen Park 2, 10179, Berlin, Germany. a.gumz@uke.de.
authors.forename: Antje
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gumz
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf & Schön Klinik Hamburg Eilbek, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany. n.uhlenbusch@uke.de.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uhlenbusch
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biometry and Epidemiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany. k.wegscheider@uke.de.
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wegscheider
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Children and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Münster, Schmeddingstr. 50, 48149, Münster, Germany. Georg.Romer@ukmuenster.de.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Romer
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf & Schön Klinik Hamburg Eilbek, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany. b.loewe@uke.de.
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Löwe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000628:therapy; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D002648:Child; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003863:Depression / Q000628:therapy; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012572:School Health Services; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors