Eating Disorders Prevention Program Proposal

Food is an essential human need that is critical for survival. The connection that we have with our bodies are multileveled in the sense that we cannot be fully immersed in the set of ideas of our bodily desires. As such, the relationship with our bodies is physical, emotional and psychological in every aspect (Cook-Cottone, 2016). Conceptually, unmonitored food consumptions that are likely to have an adverse effect on the body is called eating disorder. Therefore, an eating disorder is a mental ailment that associate with tangible physical effects. An eating disorder further has an association that stems beyond distress and psychological effects but rather compound to a range of medical complications that can potentially affect every part of our systems. The most common association with this kind of disorder include chronic social and functional effects that extend to behavioural and psychiatric illness, disability and increased chances of death. Primarily, eating disorder is associated with weight, shape, social misfit. In case of children, it compounds to challenges of loneliness, shyness and esteem challenges (Cardi et al., 2011; Cooks, 2009). Women are more affected by cased of eating disorders compared to male. This has been blamed on the objectification of women bodies which are more likely to be more profound due to feeding disturbances (Cottingham et al., 2014). Women deserve to have a program that can help minimize negative effects of eating disorders. 

Eating Disorders and Prevention Programs 

It has been established that eating disorders are more prevalent in adolescent women (Corning & Heibel, 2016). As such, most preventive efforts target girls within this age bracket. Based on this, it’s easier to assume that the programs attend to most of the psychometric challenges that people in this age group face. One of the efficiencies of this program resided in its very identity of exploration and development through enhanced self-esteem. However, it can be notable that eating disorders prevention programs have not made inroads in health promotion and development. 

Religion and spirituality have a stem in eating disorders among people. In essence, positive relationship between righteousness has a significant effect on eating disorders. Studies have since revealed that people who have had negative and traumatizing experiences will always take to take solace from over-consumption. This is anchored by the belief that our bodies affirm God relationship (Cottingham et al., 2014). It gives a greater sense of self-confidence and body satisfaction through the reduced anxiety of loss of shape (Braun et al., 2016; Guarnido et al., 2012). The food eating disorder program will get more impact and credence on the subject by way of using spiritual and emotional appeal on them. 

Maintenance of positive image is the primary concern of every person. According to Cardi et al. (2014), our image in the social aspect is a fundamental inherent human trait. As such, some of the primary concern of the modern-day persons are potential threats that may have an adverse effect on our self-esteem, self-worth as well as our social standing. According to Ciarma and Mathew (2017), our social standing is affected when there is an inherent fear of a dented self-identity. The effects are more psychological when it creates anxiety in the affected adult populace. This program is critical in looking at some of the self-related and social issues that Eating Disorder patients and victims undergo. 

People who have a higher character in self-criticism are highly likely to have a feeling of shame and hostility towards self. It has been established that patients with eating disorders are entangled in a ceaseless self-blame on their bodies that intensify the feeling of shame (Kelly & Carter, 2013; Grenon et al., 2016 ). Although not so much studies have been done on the relationship between shame, eating disorders and Self-criticism, some more studies have been able to link self-criticism and shame. Notable that self-criticism is focused on our self-achievement and harsh self-evaluation, it is proper to aver that those who are not comprehensively managed to deal eating disorders are often plunged into the vicious circle of self-criticism (Kelly & Carter, 2013). The program seeks to target the person who is entangled in self-blame for failure to monitor weight. 

There is the inherent inner voice that controls human food consumption. In several interviews that have been conducted to people from different walks of lives, they affirm that this inner voice is always upset whenever they tend to increase weight. Through this analogy, bodies of literature have revealed that development of self-criticism and blame as the main cause of an eating disorder. In most instances, inner voices are neither sensory or hallucinated but rather identifiable system that is experienced in the course of life. Eating disorder presents a complex scenario that is inherent and affects patients’ psychological settings. Women have been established to suffer more with engagements with inner voices on eating disorders (Noordenbos et al., 2014). 

In their study, Dimitropoulos et al., (2016) conducted an exploratory study to determine the adult perception of eating disorder. The finding of the study showed cognizance of adverse health challenges associated with eating disorders. However, most of the people place recovery mode on the affected individuals. This gives provision that may help bridge the gap between people with eating disorders and the general public. This paper is therefore aware high level of expectations that may hinder the recovery of individuals or stigma that bar patient from disclosing the nature of their sickness. This form of the misconception that only be addressed through educational programs that seek to encourage affected persons to seek medical and professional advice. 

According to Roncero et al. (2013), people suffering from an eating disorder have specific traits that make them distinguishable. One of the notable positivity from this group lies in their attachment to maintain some symptoms such as being underweight. Converse to some of the registered positive effects; there are underlying niggling challenges and symptoms of continuous hunger, difficulty in concentration, dizziness among others. Roncero et al. (2013), places metacognition, belief as some of the key causes and maintenance of other eating disorder among people. It is therefore imperative that ED patients are made aware of some of the underlying challenges that are associated with the condition. 

A low view of self and internal disturbances is some of the main theoretical susceptibilities in the making and maintenance of eating disorders. As such, Bardone-Cone et al. (2010) places positive and negative esteems at the core of prediction to eating disorder aetiology. Low self-esteem incidences are further put at the core of negative outcome in the fight against eating disorder. There is further an intertwined relationship that supports the claims of close ties between eating disorder and self-concept among the women. There is a widespread acceptance that it takes more than enough time for women to gain and maintain self-worth during the recovery process. 

Identification of at-risk Populations 

Today, eating disorders key as one of the most prevalent public health problems that have adverse effects on the psychological and social fitness of people in the society. Some of the three known risks that are involved include Bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa and eating disorder (Matos et al., 2015). It must, therefore, be noted that the inherent self-worth value that people endear is largely a determinant of our body shape, Judge for self in relation to our ability to control our food intake, shape, and weight as well as the fear of loss of self-control over the challenges mentioned above. 

Physical appearance key as some of the core aspect of the maintenance of our positive social fitness and attractiveness for most of the women. Today’s culture is more obsessed with our thin body size and shape that has become the cog of attractiveness (Matos et al., 2015; Neumark‐Sztainer, 2005). In essence, this can be said to have more bearing on the psychological wellness of people. As such in most women, body control over eatery and diet is one of the core strategies of maintaining some acceptable social fitness. 

Based on these aspects, it can be noted that women particularly those in colleges are more affected by beauty shape and weight that are today the cog of measuring beauty among the girls. Women who do not have the physical shape that is denoted by observed dietary behaviours are most often left psychologically injured. 

As was mentioned, shame is a serious self-inflicting and emotion-based dynamic competition that hallmarks women social attractiveness. Shame in this aspect is an arousal of our social interactions and the perception that we may not be attractive in others opinion. The undesirable negative effect attached to this is engulfed in negative self-imaging of the same. Informational technology growth through social media has made it easier for people to air them opines on the issues. The resultant troll that comes with such opinionated aspect given to a patient of eating disorder further plunge them into a state of psychological torture. 

The fact that the negative perceptions as developed by the women on their social rank and experiences inhibit their ability to develop positive images that can influence their mind. This, therefore, makes them more susceptible to attacks, rejection, and shame that may have stemmed from their earlier experiences. Some of the shame comes from being bullied by peers, imagined rejection by the teachers, and a familial identity of the body shape are some of the wider social negative ramifications that are eating disorder patients undergo. 

Most girls are the most indoor people. It has been established that between 8 and 20 years, consume an estimated 53 hours a week indoor as and engaged in visual media such as fashion shows, music, and movies. Most of the watched contents have at least an image or sexual imagery that have a close connection to body shape and physical appearance. 

One of the relevance of this scenario lay in the sense that body eating disorder and body image research on sexual images as delivered via the virtual media has been a success in shaping a person’s real aspect to living and some of the held notion towards the girls, their bodies, and self-esteem. The attitude developed by girls at early stages of life find their way through to their adulthood. Concerning the readership, women are more obsessed with reading about fashion and healthy diets all of which preach body shape as the yardstick for beauty measurement. 

Recruitment of at-risk Populations 

From studies, eating disorder and symptoms are more prevalent among college students. It can be noted that eating disorders among college students range between 8% and 17%. This makes eating disorder more prevalent in colleges than any other place. This could largely be based on the fact that colleges more or less have students who are in the set of age group and are affected by rather uniform issues that cut across the board. More campus women are affected by their body shapes and social fitness caused by their eating disability. 

It is therefore of significance to address eating disorder challenges as posed to the women college populace. The participants for this nature of workshop can be obtained from residential and academic areas, those who attend extracurricular activities to reverse the negative effects of the eating disorder as well as those who spend a significant amount of time in health social media pages with a view of learning new things. 

To reduce instances of the stigma that may bar people from participation in the Eating Disorder workshop, the program will seek to use health club as an avenue to get interested people to take part in the study. At health club level, people are free to share their experiences on general health issues as a way of getting help or creation of awareness of the existence of certain health issues. 

Workshop Outline 

Title: Eating Disorders Prevention Program Proposal 

Participants: Female college students, employees, and other interested persons 

Length of time: 2 days 

Location: University Social hall 

Goal of the workshop: To help understand some of the underlying challenges that eating disorder cause to their personality and how they can be helped to overcome them 

Learning Objectives 

Causes of eating disability among women 

Effects of eating disabilities as experienced by the women 

Some of the practical preventive measures that can help the affected group overcome the challenges. 

Description: 

The presented outline is the activities that will guide facilitators and participant in the planning and execution of the schools Eating Disorders Prevention Program. This outline is a two-day agenda that is modified to meet the needs of the participants in the program. 

Day One
Building a Foundation for the Program
Welcome session	20 min.
Material	Key Components
Performance alignment  Workshop task on slide  Workshop agenda	Distribution of the workshop agenda to participants  Sharing facility resources  Introduction of facilitators and participants  Clear communication of the specific goals and objectives of the workshop
Measurable Outcomes
Participants feel more welcome to the conference  Their specific goals and expectation of the program  Creation of the sense of a shared purpose and community

Introduction and instructional task	40 min
Materials	Key Components
Workshop task on slide  Aligning with the objectives of the workshop  Sample task	Presentation in PowerPoint slides  Distribution of workshop workbook and outline to participants  Provision of instructional materials developed by the facilitators to guide the tasks  Read sample instruction to participants  Invitation of participants to provide initial feedback on the mode of execution.

Evaluation and Modification practice on the instructional task	3 hours
Materials	Key components
Sample task either in powerpoint or hardcopy	PowerPoint presentation between 10 and 20 slides  Introduction of evaluation and modification criterion for the instructions  Lead lengthy discussion on eating disorder and how it affects women on campus  Evaluation of the efficacy and mode of understanding between the related skills and knowledge.  Collective modification of tasks with participants.

Focused modification in Task two: Focused discussion	2 hours
Material	Key Components
Evaluation of task as provided by the facilitators	Participants to break into smaller working groups of between 10 and 20 people to have a qualitative discussion.  Group members are introducing themselves to the ease of communication.  Clarification of the essence of small working groups to the members  Members to review task two

Day 1 Debrief: Bring of smaller working into a larger group.	One hr.
Material	Key Components
Review the evaluated task two	Summary of day one activities and progress  Involve participants in sharing their experiences and challenges encountered  Allow the challenges to sharing the eating disorder challenges addressed thus far  Identify specific area of focus in terms of treatment and rehabilitation that cut across the divide  Preview activities for day two.

Day Two
Welcome	15 mins
Materials	Key components
Agenda	Review day one activities  Review the original goals and expected outcome of the program  Set out all the expectations for day two of the workshop  Clarification transition that focuses on task review and focuses on production of new tasks for Day Two
Key Considerations
Matters arising from yesterday’s meeting  The need to address logistical providence for day two  Based on the activities yesterday, realistic chances of accomplishing day two mission.

Generation of Tasks: Working in small groups	2hrs 30mins
Materials	Key components
Generating ideas for task three (Prevention of Eating disorders)	Review some of the lessons learned in task two  Selection of some of the thematic areas that have not been addressed  Participatory development of task three that takes to account the needs of all the participants  Review of the modification process of the highlighted tasks as a way of fostering a participatory and collective approach to the event.

Presentations of Task three	One hour.
Materials	Components
Evaluation of the designed task three	Smaller groups come up with their findings for presentation purposes  Provision of feedback and comments on small working group discussions  Discussion of some of the notable challenges  Identification of task that can move into extended services of the discussions  Brainstorming of ideas for the next workshop should it be deemed a necessity.

Debrief	One hour.
Materials	Key components
Completed Tasks	Identification of the steps needed to complete modification of that ensures strong alignment with the goals of the project  Discussion of the learned concept and how they can be applicable in real life  Clarification on how participants can access information on the workshop  Thank participant and emphasis on the need to apply some of the newly learned concepts as the best way to cure eating disorder.

Treatment Options and Resources available to Students 

The literature did present some of the challenges faced by the patient of eating disorder stems in the loss of self-belief and esteem. At the school level, victims of the disorder are subjected to an array of humiliating conditions that can affect their state in a number of ways. One of the best mechanism to cure psychological disorder is through association with people who help you to view yourself from a positive dimension. As such, from the workshop, is highly encouraged that the affected group seek support from the group members. Counselling department is equally available and accessible to offer these students the much-needed support that could help them overcome their fears. Above all, there is an array of literature on some of the preventive measures that can help the students to learn and overcome the challenges faced in the fight against eating disorder. 

References  

Bardone-Cone, A. M., Schaefer, L. M., Maldonado, C. R., Fitzsimmons, E. E., Harney, M. B., Lawson, M. A., ... & Smith, R. (2010). Aspects of self-concept and eating disorder recovery: What does the sense of self look like when an individual recovers from an eating disorder?.  Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology ,  29 (7), 821-846. 

Braun, T. D., Park, C. L., & Gorin, A. (2016). Self-compassion, body image, and disordered eating: A review of the literature.  Body image ,  17 , 117-131. 

Cardi, V., Di Matteo, R., Gilbert, P., & Treasure, J. (2014). Rank perception and self‐evaluation in eating disorders.  International Journal of Eating Disorders ,  47 (5), 543-552. 

Ciarma, J. L., & Mathew, J. M. (2017). Social anxiety and disordered eating: The influence of stress reactivity and self-esteem.  Eating Behaviors ,  26 , 177-181. 

Cook-Cottone, C. (2016). Embodied self-regulation and mindful self-care in the prevention of eating disorders.  Eating disorders ,  24 (1), 98-105. 

Cooks, L. (2009). You are what you (don't) eat? Food, identity, and resistance.  Text and Performance Quarterly ,  29 (1), 94-110. 

Corning, A. F., & Heibel, H. D. (2016). Re-thinking eating disorder prevention: The case for prioritizing the promotion of healthy identity development.  Eating disorders ,  24 (1), 106-113. 

Cottingham, M. E., Davis, L., Craycraft, A., Keiper, C. D., & Abernethy, A. D. (2014). Disordered eating and self-objectification in college women: clarifying the roles of spirituality and purpose in life.  Mental Health, Religion & Culture ,  17 (9), 898-909. 

Dimitropoulos, G., Freeman, V. E., Muskat, S., Domingo, A., & McCallum, L. (2016). “You don’t have anorexia, you just want to look like a celebrity”: perceived stigma in individuals with anorexia nervosa.  Journal of mental health ,  25 (1), 47-54. 

Grenon, R., Tasca, G. A., Maxwell, H., Balfour, L., Proulx, G., & Bissada, H. (2016). Parental bonds and body dissatisfaction in a clinical sample: The mediating roles of attachment anxiety and media internalization.  Body image ,  19 , 49-56. 

Guarnido, A. S., Cabrera, F. H., & Osuna, M. P. (2012). Eating disorder detection through personality traits and self-concept.  Eating and Weight Disorders-Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity ,  17 (4), e309-e313. 

Kelly, A. C., & Carter, J. C. (2013). Why self‐critical patients present with more severe eating disorder pathology: The mediating role of shame.  British Journal of Clinical Psychology ,  52 (2), 148-161. 

Matos, M., Ferreira, C., Duarte, C., & Pinto‐Gouveia, J. (2015). Eating disorders: When social rank perceptions are shaped by early shame experiences.  Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice ,  88 (1), 38-53. 

Neumark‐Sztainer, D. (2005). Can we simultaneously work toward the prevention of obesity and eating disorders in children and adolescents?  International Journal of Eating Disorders ,  38 (3), 220-227. 

Noordenbos, G., Aliakbari, N., & Campbell, R. (2014). The relationship among critical inner voices, low self-esteem, and self-criticism in eating disorders.  Eating disorders ,  22 (4), 337-351. 

Roncero, M., Belloch, A., Perpiñá, C., & Treasure, J. (2013). Ego-syntonicity and ego-dystonicity of eating-related intrusive thoughts in patients with eating disorders.  Psychiatry research ,  208 (1), 67-73.