BIRES: Building body image resilience in populations undergoing rapid economic development
Funder: ERC Advanced Grant / UKRI Horizon Guarantee funding. 2024-2029 (€2.5M)
Principle Investigator: Prof Lynda Boothroyd
Collaborators: Dr Elizabeth Evans, Dr Tracey Thornborrow, Dr Stephen Asatsa, Dr Ana Chamorro Coneo, Lic. Mauricio Fernandes, Dr William Flores, Dr Olga Grijalva Martinez, Dr Macdonald Matika, Dr Moises Mebarak, Dr Fabienne Andres
Collaborating universities and organisations: Universidad del Norte, Colombia; UABJO, Oaxaca, Mexico; CUEA, Kenya; University of Zimbabwe; Semillas Triunfadoras, Honduras.
Existing body image intervention research focuses on high-income, mostly Western populations, largely excluding low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). BIRes will establish an evidence base and theoretical framework for body image education in LMICs, through the delivery and systematic evaluation of a culturally-tailored intervention in multiple LMIC populations undergoing rapid economic and social change. This project will develop our understanding of body dissatisfaction and eating disorder risk across the diverse cultural settings in which these occur by reversing the typical focus on urban, middle-class samples. It also ensures strong cultural grounding by integrating controlled cross-cultural studies with locally-led participatory-action research.
A core part of the project is the development of the educational intervention for teenagers ‘Soy Como Soy’ (‘I Am Who I Am’).
Our intervention was originally developed in rural Nicaragua and we are now running a large scale randomised control trial in an economically and ethnically diverse region in the Caribbean Coast Colombia. Additional studies will expand into broader Latin America and Africa to finally encompass over 3000 participants in 6 countries.
To find out more about the intervention and get access to materials please visit: