ABSTRACT
The primary goal in writing this chapter is to suggest prevention strategies for eating disorders that take into account both the salient developmental issues across the life span and research findings on putative risk factors at each developmental stage. The chapter begins with a review of existing prevention programs. The remainder of the chapter is devoted to a discussion of developmental stages; topics include important milestones, research regarding risk factors, and prevention interventions tailored to each stage of development. The discussion is focused on girls and women. This is not meant to suggest that inclusion of boys, young men, fathers, and other male figures in prevention strategies is not important. However, it was decided that female development should provide the basis for discussion of intervention strategies.
