ABSTRACT
The goal of primary prevention is to reduce the incidence of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Finding effective ways of approaching primary prevention is a problem since the causes of eating disorders are not fully understood. However, it is possible to minimize common social, familial, and individual factors, which are generally recognized as leading to eating disorders. This implies eliminating or reducing the sociocultural factors (such as the stigma attached to being overweight or misconceptions about weight reduction) that increase the risk of eating disorders. It also involves changing the behaviors that inuence body image, self-esteem, eating habits, and coping skills. Therefore, one of the reasons for designing elementary school primary prevention programs is the relatively low prevalence of serious eating problems in that environment, and hence the opportunity to prevent their onset, or at the very least decrease their rate and severity.
