Background: Body dissatisfaction is a well-established social determinant of mental health, particularly salient during late adolescence and early adulthood—a developmental period marked by identity formation and vulnerability to sociocultural appearance norms. This pilot study evaluated the Body Empowerment Project (BEP), a research-validated weight-inclusive intervention leveraging near-peer mentorship to promote body appreciation and disrupt early trajectories toward disordered eating.

Methods: A total of 35 college students (ages 18–25) participated in an 8-week medical student-led intervention guided by principles of cultural humility, narrative empowerment, and health equity. The program integrated structured peer-facilitated dialogue, critical media literacy, and values-based reflection to interrogate internalized body ideals and foster protective psychosocial assets. Body image outcomes were measured using the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) at baseline and post-intervention. Paired t-tests were used to evaluate change over time.

Results: Participants demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in body appreciation scores (Pre: M = 3.28, SD = 0.74; Post: M = 3.64, SD = 0.65; p = 0.0013). Qualitative responses revealed strengthened self-concept, increased resistance to dominant beauty discourses, and affirmation of identity. Notably, the greatest gains were observed among participants from systemically marginalized communities, underscoring the salience of culturally responsive, peer-led frameworks. Heterogeneity in outcomes suggests the need for future adaptation using trauma-informed, intersectional approaches.

Conclusions: The Body Empowerment Project represents a promising public health strategy to address body image concerns through accessible, non-stigmatizing, community-based models. By leveraging near-peer connection and equity-driven pedagogy, BEP fosters protective factors for mental health and advances population-level approaches to eating disorder prevention.