This study aimed to determine the effects of a mobile app-based educational intervention on bulimia, body dissatisfaction (BD) and compensatory behaviors among female school students.
We conducted a quasi-experimental, prepotent design with a control group in 2023 involving 112 female secondary school students (aged 14–17) in Qom, Iran. One school district was randomly selected, and two schools were chosen as clusters; one school was randomly assigned to the intervention group, and the other was assigned to the control group. The intervention group received access to NUTRISA, a culturally adapted mobile app delivering six weeks of educational content on healthy eating and body image. The control group received no training during the study period (although they were given app access after the study for ethical reasons). Outcomes—bulimia, BD and compensatory behavior scores—were measured via the validated Minnesota Eating Behavior Survey at baseline and at one and six months. The data were analyzed via repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Bonferroni post hoc correction to assess changes over time and between groups. Independent t-tests and chi-square tests were used to compare baseline characteristics.
The repeated measures test revealed a significant effect of the group–time interaction on the mean bulimia, BD and compensatory behavior scores in both the intervention and control groups. Within the intervention group, the follow-up test indicated a significant increase in mean total eating behavior scores for posttest one (5.93 + 5.51) and posttest 2 (12.15 + 4.48) compared with the pretest phase (8.83 + 4.34), with these increases being statistically significant (p < 0.001). No significant difference was detected within the control group.
This study implies that mobile app-based interventions could be a valuable addition to school health programs or community initiatives for promoting healthy eating. It also emphasizes the importance of integrating technology into health education and behavior change strategies. This aligns with digital health trends and can enhance the effectiveness of such interventions.
