Anthropometry, body composition and body image in dieting and non‐dieting 8‐16‐year‐old Swedish girls

Abstract

Anthropometry, body composition and body image were studied in 122 Swedish 8‐16‐y‐old girls and their parents. The subjects participated in a 3‐y prospective longitudinal study and were selected randomly after stratification for grades from those scoring in the upper vs. the lower thirds of the Children's Eating Attitudes Test (ChEAT) score distribution. The ChEAT was completed 6 mo before the present study together with a demographic and dieting questionnaire and a questionnaire for the estimation of body size. In total 43%(n = 52) admitted ever dieting (“Dieters”) and 25%(n = 30) admitted that they were currently trying to lose weight. The anthropometric and body composition data indicated that ChEAT High‐scorers and Dieters were somewhat fatter than Low‐scorers and Non‐dieters, although this pattern was not shown among the 8‐y‐olds or the 14‐y‐olds (High‐scorers). The mothers of the ChEAT High‐scorers were found to be somewhat fatter than the other mothers. A current vs.ideal body shape discrepancy was shown for both High‐scorers and Dieters, with a larger discrepancy for the Dieters. All groups believed that their parents were aspiring for a leaner body. □Anthropometry, body composition, dieting behaviour, schoolgirls