The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) created a dissonance-based body acceptance intervention referred to as the Body Project. This intervention has been shown to effectively reduce body dissatisfaction, negative mood, unhealthy dieting, and disordered eating. There is further evidence that the Body Project intervention reduces the risk of future onset of eating disorders. 

The Powell County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent partnered with the Powell County Middle School principal and the Partners for Rural Impact School Coordinator to facilitate the Body Project with middle school students.

The principal and school counselors selected 12 female students that they felt could benefit from the program to participate. The group met for four 1-hour sessions, facilitated by the Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent, designed to improve body image by critiquing unrealistic ideals of beauty.

By the end of the program, the girls will have gained the tools to find their voice and become an advocate for body acceptance. They will have had a chance to challenge the systems and confront stigma in a hands-on, fun environment where they practice pushing back against unwanted body comments. They will be more comfortable with giving themselves permission to prioritize self-care. They will begin improving their own body image and having a positive impact on their peers.

After completing the four sessions, the girls felt more comfortable identifying their positive qualities, fighting social pressures to conform to society’s appearance ideal, and challenging their fears and concerns related to their own body image. Many of the participants also expressed being more aware of subtle ways the appearance ideal is maintained and how others might promote it without realizing it.

The girls practiced challenging the appearance ideal by doing things they typically would not do because of body image concerns as an effort to increase confidence and disprove fears. After the program concluded, one participant shared that she was starting to feel more confident in form fitting shirts when she would normally cover her insecurities in loose fitting clothing.