Most eating disorder intervention programs take a "scared straight" kind of approach. The hope is that by sharing information about eating disorder health risks and showing disturbing pictures of extreme eating disorder patients, adolescents and pre-teens will be convinced that the risks are far greater than any assumed benefits. While it's true that the risks are significantly greater, the scare tactics don't have great results - especially long term.

In response to these poor results, two Australian researchers chose to try something different; a self-esteem based approach that focused not on the dangers of eating disorders but on methods of improving a teen's body image and attitude towards eating. The program, called "Everybody's Different", was first tested in 2000, as a school-based program offered as a substitute for standard personal development and health classes. A total of 470 adolescents volunteered to participate in the program, which consisted of group work, games, and dramatic skits that were used to aid students in developing healthy self-esteem, good coping mechanisms and healthy eating habits. The program's lessons focused on topics like dealing with stress, effective communication, societal stereotypes, and how to develop a positive self-image.

At the end of the program, overall self-image was assessed in both the control group - which didn't participate in the program, and the intervention group using various questionnaires that inventoried everything from self-perception to anxiety, food habits and depression.

Adolescents in the intervention group reported having significantly higher self-esteem than those in the control group. They also placed far less importance on social acceptance, physical appearance and athletic ability. In contrast, teens in the control group indicated that they considered these things more important at the end of the year than they had at the beginning. Furthermore, the girls in the intervention group had a much more positive perception of how others viewed their physical appearance.

Perhaps the most encouraging aspect about this initial study is that, 12 months later, those in the intervention group still had significantly higher self-esteem and less anxiety than those who were in the control group. The positive long-term results were true, even for a group of over 100 students who were considered at risk of developing eating disorders. For this group, the desire to be "thin" was dramatically lower and overall body satisfaction considerably higher both at the end of the program and at the 12-month follow-up. The "at-risk" students in the intervention group even gained weight in the year following the program. Compare that with the "at-risk" teens from the control group whose weight loss was significant.

The results of this program offer a ray of hope to parents, teachers and school administrators wanting to help curb what has been a steady increase in eating disorders among teenagers. It proves that, to use the old football quote, "the best defense is a good offense". Teens today don't need more education about the dangers of eating disorders, any more than they need more education about the dangers of drug use. What they need, and what this program shows that they respond to, is a method for improving their self-esteem and developing healthy coping mechanisms. The better a teen's body image, the less likely he or she will take drastic measures to lose weight.

This kind of positive reinforcement can be beneficial well into the adult years. Studies comparing positive and negative reinforcement have found that positive reinforcement methods help build a person's self-confidence, coping skills and sense of independence; and those attributes stay with the person throughout their life. A program like "Everybody's Different" can teach teens the skills needed to live healthy, productive lives.