Eating Behaviours, and Attitudes to Eating, Dieting, and Body Image in 7-year-old Swedish Girls

Abstract

Eating behaviours and attitudes to eating, dieting and body image were studied in 7-year-old Swedish girls. Sixty-four girls were eligible and 50 participated in individual interviews based on the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (DEBQ) modified for children, the Children's Eating Attitudes Test (ChEAT), and a demographic and dieting questionnaire. Subjects also completed a questionnaire estimating their body size. A total of 28 per cent wanted to be thinner, 22 per cent reported that they had tried to lose weight and 20 per cent admitted that they ate less with the purpose of losing weight. The girls who stated that they had tried to lose weight showed significantly higher ChEAT and DEBQ scores and estimated themselves to be significantly larger than those who had not. The results indicate that one-quarter of 7-year-old girls have concerns regarding their body weight and that they make attempts to lose weight.