The healthy body image (HBI) intervention: Effects of a school-based cluster-randomized controlled trial with 12-months follow-up

Christine Sundgot-Borgen; Oddgeir Friborg; Elin Kolle; Kethe M E Engen; Jorunn Sundgot-Borgen; Jan H Rosenvinge; Gunn Pettersen; Monica Klungland Torstveit; Niva Piran; Solfrid Bratland-Sanda

doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2019.03.007

The healthy body image (HBI) intervention: Effects of a school-based cluster-randomized controlled trial with 12-months follow-up

Body Image. 2019 Jun:29:122-131. doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2019.03.007. Epub 2019 Mar 28.

Affiliations

¹ Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Department of Sports Medicine, Sognsveien 220, N-0806, Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: c.s.borgen@nih.no.
² UiT -The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Psychology, 9037, Tromsø, Norway. Electronic address: oddgeir.friborg@uit.no.
³ Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Department of Sports Medicine, Sognsveien 220, N-0806, Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: elin.kolle@nih.no.
⁴ Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Department of Sports Medicine, Sognsveien 220, N-0806, Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: k.m.e.engen@nih.no.
⁵ Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Department of Sports Medicine, Sognsveien 220, N-0806, Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: jorunn.sundgot-borgen@nih.no.
⁶ UiT -The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Psychology, 9037, Tromsø, Norway. Electronic address: jan.rosenvinge@uit.no.
⁷ UiT -The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Health and Caring Sciences, N- 9037, Tromsø, Norway. Electronic address: gunn.pettersen@uit.no.
⁸ University of Agder, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, Postbox 422, 4604, Kristiansand, Norway. Electronic address: monica.k.torstveit@uia.no.
⁹ University of Toronto, Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, 252 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1V6, Canada. Electronic address: niva.piran@utoronto.ca.
¹⁰ University College of Southeast Norway, Department of Sports, Physical Education and Outdoor Studies, P.O. Box 235, N-3603, Kongsberg, Norway. Electronic address: Solfrid.Bratland-Sanda@usn.no.

PMID: 30928681
DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2019.03.007

Abstract

We examined the effects of the Healthy Body Image (HBI) intervention on positive embodiment and health-related quality of life among Norwegian high school students. The intervention comprised three interactive workshops, with body image, media literacy, and lifestyle as main themes. In total, 2,446 12^th grade boys (43%) and girls (mean age 16.8 years) from 30 high schools participated in a cluster-randomized controlled study with the HBI intervention and a control condition as the study arms. Data were collected at baseline, post-intervention, 3- and 12-months follow-up, and analysed using linear mixed regression models. The HBI intervention caused a favourable immediate change in positive embodiment and health-related quality of life among intervention girls, which was maintained at follow-up. Among intervention boys, however, weak post-intervention effects on embodiment and health-related quality of life vanished at the follow-ups. Future studies should address steps to make the HBI intervention more relevant for boys as well as determine whether the number of workshops or themes may be shortened to ease implementation and to enhance intervention effects.

Keywords: Adolescents; Body appreciation; Embodiment; Health promotion; Quality of life.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Body Image / psychology*
Cluster Analysis
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Health Promotion / methods*
Humans
Male
Norway
Program Evaluation / methods*
Program Evaluation / statistics & numerical data
Quality of Life / psychology
School Health Services / statistics & numerical data*
Sex Factors