Body Project SMIL: Prevention of Eating Disorders Among Young Women With Psychiatric Illness With the Body Project

Summary

The Body Project SMIL tests the effectiveness of a virtual, peer-led intervention aimed at reducing body dissatisfaction and preventing eating disorders in young women with psychiatric illnesses.

Eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder have severe physical and mental health consequences. Young women with psychiatric disorders face a fourfold higher risk, yet no widely implemented prevention programs exist in Denmark. Body Project SMIL addresses this gap by testing whether a structured online intervention can prevent eating disorders before they develop.

The study is open to women aged 15-25 with body dissatisfaction and a verified psychiatric diagnosis (e.g., mood disorders, anxiety, ADHD, or personality disorders). Those with a clinical eating disorder diagnosis are not eligible. Participants must be comfortable engaging in online group discussions.

Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups:

Body Project Group - A peer-led, virtual program with four one-hour sessions focusing on challenging beauty ideals through structured exercises.

Expressive Writing Group - A self-guided exercise where participants write about body image for four weeks.

Assessments take place before and after the intervention, with follow-ups at six months, one year, and two years tracking body dissatisfaction, eating disorder symptoms, and well-being.

The Body Project is a proven intervention that reduces body dissatisfaction, thin-ideal internalization, and eating disorder symptoms, with some studies showing a 77% reduction in eating disorder risk. While tested in various settings, this study is the first to evaluate its impact on young women with psychiatric illnesses.

Participation benefits may include improved body image, reduced eating disorder risk, and enhanced self-esteem. The group format provides a supportive environment for sharing experiences and fostering healthier attitudes toward body image.

Ethical approval has been granted, ensuring compliance with GDPR regulations. Since this is a preventive program, it does not replace clinical treatment. Participants showing signs of an active eating disorder will be referred for appropriate care.

Recruitment occurs through psychiatric departments, educational institutions, and social media. A research website (www.bodyproject.dk) provides study details and a secure registration form. Parental consent is required for participants under 18, and all participants may withdraw at any time without consequences.

Conducted by Aarhus University Hospital Psychiatry in collaboration with international experts, this research may inform scalable prevention programs for young people at risk of eating disorders.

Conditions

• Eating Disorders
• Psychiatric Disorder
• Body Dissatisfaction
• Eating Disorder Symptom and Body Image Dissatisfaction

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Body Project

Dissonance-based, online, peed-led eating disorder prevention intervention, consisting of 4 x 1 hour with a week a part.

BEHAVIORAL

Expressive writing

Participants are encouraged to write about their body 40 min. per week

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Aalborg Psychiatric Hospital

  collaborator OTHER

• Aarhus University Hospital

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Loa Clausen, PhD · Aarhus University Hospital Psychiatry

• Caroline B Abild, Cl. dietician · Aarhus University Hospital Psychiatry

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

15 Years

Max Age

25 Years

Sex

FEMALE

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-04-01

Primary Completion

2026-07-01

Completion

2026-07-01

Countries

• Denmark

Study Locations