Factors Associated With Disordered Eating Behavior Among Adolescent Girls: Screening and Education

Introduction/Objectives: An unhealthy relationship with food can lead to disordered eating in adolescence, highlighting the importance of screening. This study describes the frequency of disordered eating behavior among female adolescents, as well as associated characteristics and health behaviors. Methods: Data are from a multidimensional risk factor screening survey administered at a university medical center’s adolescent clinic from 2016 to 2018. The instrument was adapted from existing screening tools such as the Rapid Assessment for Adolescent Preventive Services (RAAPS), the American Medical Association’s Guidelines for Adolescent Preventive Services (GAPS), and the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). Analysis was limited to self-reported responses provided by females aged 10 to 21 years (N = 915). Statistical analyses included chi-square tests and independent sample T-tests. Results: Of the N = 915 females who reported on disordered eating behavior, n = 57 (6.2%) had engaged in some form of disordered eating behavior within the past 12 months. Disordered eating was significantly associated ( P < .001) with not consistently wearing a helmet while biking, having tried e-cigarettes, being bullied in the past 30 days, having an adverse childhood experience (ACE), and being African American ( P = .005). Subgroup analysis of the relationship between disordered eating and bullying, by race, yielded significant findings: disordered eating was more highly associated with being bullied in the past 30 days among African American females ( P = .038). The relationship between disordered eating and ACE was also significant ( P < .001) among Caucasian girls when stratified by race. Conclusions: Adolescent risk behaviors often co-occur, and disordered eating behavior may be differentially observed by race. Findings highlight the importance of education and screening to prevent the development of disordered eating, and identify those who may be struggling. These results can be useful to community health education and in healthcare to develop and implement health promotion and eating disorder prevention strategies. Further studies are needed to assess additional factors that promote or protect against disordered eating to improve prevention.

The Relationship between Body Appreciation Levels, Eating Attitudes and Physical Profiles of Turkish Elite Artistic Gymnasts

Body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behavior in athletes may occur when sports and social pressures require an ideal body standard, if the athlete perceives that his or her body does not conform to this ideal. For this reason, the aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between artistic gymnasts’ (AG) physical profiles, body appreciation levels and eating attitudes. A total of 32 elite AG (Turkish National Team), 13 women and 19 men, participated in this study. Height and body analyzes of the participants were measured. Body appreciation levels were determined by the Body Appreciation Scale (BAS), and eating attitudes were determined by the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26). With the Training Information Form, information about training frequencies and durations was provided. Comparative analyzes of the BAS and EAT-26 results of elite female and male gymnasts were performed. The physical profiles, eating attitudes and body appreciation levels of female AG were evaluated and the relationship between them was determined. While no significant correlation was found between the BAS, EAT-26 and physical profiles of the elite male AG, a negative significant correlation was found between the BAS and body mass index (BMI) of female elite AG (p < 0.05). It was concluded that while BMI rates of elite female AG increased, their body appreciation levels decreased. The BAS results of elite AG’ were found to be significantly higher than those of elite female AGs (p < 0.05).

The Relationship Between SNS Usage and Disordered Eating Behaviors: A Meta-Analysis

Social Networking Sites (SNSs) are common tools with which modern people share their lives and establish social relationships. However, some studies have found SNSs to be associated with eating disorders, although other have identified no connection between the two. To explore the interaction between SNSs and eating disorder behaviors, this study aimed to comprehensively synthesize previous studies using meta-analysis methods. Based on selection criteria, there were 87 effect sizes from 22 studies. After analysis using a three-level random-effects meta-analysis model, a positive correlation between the use of SNSs and irregular eating behaviors was found, r = 0.09 (95% CI: 0.06, 0.11; p &lt; 0.001). In addition, by analyzing potential moderators, body mass index (r = −0.032; 95% CI: −0.058, −0.006; p = 0.019), survey methods, and sample sources was discovered could alter the relationship between SNSs and disordered eating behaviors. Specifically, there was a significantly larger association between SNSs results obtained by paper and pencil surveys and disordered eating behaviors (r = 0.114; 95% CI: 0.081, 0.147; p &lt; 0.001) than that between SNSs results obtained by online surveys and disordered eating behaviors (r = −0.055; 95% CI: −0.102, −0.007; p &lt; 0.01). University students showed a larger correlation between SNSs and disordered eating behavior than other samples (r = 0.089; 95% CI: 0.049, 0.129; p &lt; 0.001). Overall, this meta-analysis confirms that the excessive use of SNSs is associated with an increased risks of disordered eating behaviors. It is hoped that this study can provide a reference for the management and intervention of dietary behaviors related to social networks in the future.