Eating attitudes and behaviors of pre- and postpubertal females: Clues to the etiology of eating disorders

INTRODUCTION: Eating disorders have been intensively researched over recent decades. However, there has been insufficient research into the early assessments for detecting the risk of developing disordered eating. We report preliminary results from a project aiming to assess the prevalence of eating attitudes and behaviors that heighten the risk of eating disorders. The study examines a non-clinical sample of adolescents and adults from two cities of South Bulgaria.METHODS: In this cross-sectional epidemiological study, a total of 1285 volunteers of 828 females and 453 males, aged 14 to 59 years, were surveyed to assess disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. For this purpose, the study used the ‘SCOFF’ questionnaire, the Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale (EDDS), and the Eating Attitudes and Behaviors Questionnaire (EABQ), which was developed for this study.RESULTS: The proportion of these volunteers underweight (body mass index below 17.5) was 9.8%. Of the total subject, 34.7% provided two or more positive answers for the SCOFF questionnaire (two being the upper threshold for indicating 100% sensitivity to anorexia and bulimia). The results differed between males and females: 21.6% and 42.1%, respectively, in this regard. A factor analysis (oblimin rotation) of EABQ items revealed four main factors: body shape and weight concerns, personal control over eating and calorie intake, dieting, and preoccupation with food and binge eating. A Spearman’s correlation analysis showed moderately significant correlations (p < 0.001) between the total scores of the SCOFF questionnaire, EABQ, and the scores for three groups of items in the EDDS for assessing eating attitudes and behaviors.CONCLUSION: We found a greater ED risk in adolescents compared with the older groups and in females compared with males. One fifth of males studied were at high risk of ED and ages between 19 and 39 years also appeared at risk. The EABQ was validated as a sensitive and reliable self-report instrument that can be used for early detection for the risk of ED. Our results could form a basis for developing programs in disordered eating prevention.

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Eating Attitudes and Behaviors in a Clinical Sample of Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Versus Eating Disorders

Journal of Adolescent Health ◽

10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.11.121 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 46 (2) ◽

pp. S50

Author(s):

Christina Tortolani ◽

Robyn Mehlenbeck ◽

Jack Nassau ◽

Diane DerMarderosian ◽

Emily Houlihan

Keyword(s):

Eating Disorders ◽

Type 1 Diabetes ◽

Clinical Sample ◽

Eating Attitudes ◽

Attitudes And Behaviors ◽

And Behaviors

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Prevalence of Atypical Disorders and Associated Factors in Undergraduate Students of Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand

Journal of Health Science and Medical Research ◽

10.31584/jhsmr.201947 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Orapan Fumaneeshoat

Keyword(s):

Body Mass Index ◽

Eating Disorders ◽

Logistic Regression ◽

Body Mass ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Eating Attitudes ◽

Multivariate Logistic Regression ◽

Attitudes And Behaviors ◽

Prince Of Songkla University ◽

And Behaviors

Objective: To quantify the prevalence of eating disorders and factors associated with eating disorders among undergraduate students in Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai Campus.Material and Methods: This study was a cross sectional descriptive study using random sampling by proportionate accidental sampling. We used the Thai Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) for collecting information about eating attitudes. Participants who had scores equal or higher than 12 (≥12) were assumed to have atypical eating attitudes and behaviors. We used the R and R studio program to analyze information. Multivariate logistic regression was used for correlation analysis.Results: In this study, we had completed questionnaires from 500 students (response rate 65.6%). The overall prevalence of atypical eating attitudes and behaviors in undergraduate students in Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai Campus was 37.2%. We found that overweight body mass index (BMI) (BMI 23.00-24.99 kg/m2) and obesity BMI (≥25.00 kg/m2) were significantly more prevalent in students with atypical eating attitudes and behaviors than normal BMI (18.50-22.99 kg/m2), with odds ratios of 3.3 [95% confidence interval (CI)=1.8-6.2] and 3.7 (95% CI=1.9-6.9), respectively. However, multivariate logistic regression revealed no associations between atypical eating attitudes and behaviors, sex, target weight, biological disease, psychological disease, current medication(s) or faculty. Atypical eating attitudes and behaviors were significantly associated only with body mass index BMI. The overweight and obese BMI groups had significantly increased risks of 3.3 and 3.7 times of atypical eating attitudes and behaviors compared to the normal group, with 95% CIs of 1.8-6.2 and 1.9-6.9, respectively.Conclusion: From this study, overweight BMI and obesity BMI were significantly more prevalent in students with atypical eating attitudes and behaviors than normal BMI. BMI was the only factor significantly associated with atypical eating attitudes and behaviors.

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