Universal programs to prevent eating disorders in children and adolescents: A scoping review of ethical, legal, organizational and social impacts.

Background: Appropriate and timely consideration of ethical, legal, organizational, and social issues in universal preventive programs for eating disorders (UPPED) are relevant for the approval, funding and implementation of health‐policy decision making. Objective: To identify and analyse the ethical, legal, organizational, and social aspects involved in interventions aimed at the universal prevention of eating disorders (ED) in children, pre‐adolescents and adolescents in the school settings. Method: A scoping review of the literature was carried out. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, PsycINFO, and Social Science Citation Index were searched for studies published in English or Spanish. The quality of the studies was assessed using specific scales for each study design. Results: Fourteen studies were included: one scoping review; four narrative reviews, six observational studies, two qualitative studies, and one mixed methods study. Results were narratively synthesised according to: (1) equity; (2) gender perspective; (3) potential harm; (4) participants and facilitators profile; (5) feasibility; and (6) acceptability. Conclusions: Interactive programs with relevant contents for participants have greater acceptability. Programs focussed on developing competencies can reduce the risk of potential harm. Incorporating a gender perspective contributes to improving equity. Teachers with prior training in ED are well suited as facilitators of these programs. Key points: EDs can lead to health problems such as increased mental morbidity, heart and kidney disease, and increased mortality. In addition, the economic impact of EDs is highUniversal preventive programs for ED are of particular interest, since they constitute an efficient approach for early preventionThe consideration of ethical, legal, organisational and social issues in universal preventive programmes for eating disorders are relevant to the approval, funding and implementation of health policy decisionsTeachers with prior training in ED are well suited as facilitators of these programsA research need arising from the study is to assess whether population‐focussed or universal programmes work better and whether there is any ethical, legal, organisational and social impact [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]