Using the Health Belief Model for Bulimia Prevention

Abstract

The author discusses application of the Health Belief Model to bulimia prevention (reduction of bulimic-like behaviors of food obsessions, bingeing, and various forms of purging). She considers the individual's beliefs about bulimia and bulimic-like behaviors as a means of predicting the likelihood of behavior change to prevent clinically diagnosable bulimia, includes a description of each Health Belief Model component, and offers implications for further research.

Key Words:

• Bulimia
• bulimia prevention
• Health Belief Model
• health education