Risk for Developing Eating Disorders and Other Associated Unhealthy Behaviors Among Adolescent Girls in Mexico

Abstract

ObjectivesTo examine the prevalence of the risk for developing eating disorders among adolescent girls and identify associated unhealthy behaviors among this population in Mexico. MethodsSecondary data analysis of 8,905 girls aged 10–19 years using nationally-representative, cross-sectional, publicly available and de-identified data from the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey 2018. From the adolescents’ health dataset, girls were identified and household information was merged-in using the primary sampling unit (PSU) and unique household numbers. The brief questionnaire for risky eating behaviors, a 10-item valid and reliable scale for Mexican adolescents, was included in the survey to assess eating behaviors during the previous 3 months. Each item included 4 plausible responses coded as never = 0, sometimes = 1, frequently = 2 (twice/weekly), and very frequently = 3 (> twice/weekly). The outcome variable was coded as being at risk for eating disorders when the 10-items summed > 10 per adolescent. Previously identified risk factors and household characteristics were included as independent variables. Survey commands were used to account for the adolescents’ sampling weights, PSU and strata. Descriptive statistics, including test of proportions, and logistic regression modelling were used to examine associations. ResultsOverall, 1.94% of adolescent girls were at risk for developing eating disorders in Mexico (1.00% in 2006 and 1.90% in 2012). When assessing bivariate associations, we found several groups at higher risk: girls aged 19 years (4.23%, p < 0.001), current tobacco use (5.92%, p < 0.001) (included tobacco and/or e-cigarette), and alcohol consumption (4.82%, p < 0.001). In the fully adjusted model and compared to their corresponding reference groups, risk factors associated with the risk for developing eating disorders included: older age (odds ratio (OR) 1.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15–1.39), school attendance (OR 3.07, 95% CI 1.61–5.86), and consuming alcohol (OR 2.34, 95% CI 1.31–4.17). ConclusionsAccording to the results, efforts to prevent the risk for developing eating disorders need to be aimed towards older aged girls to reduce associated unhealthy behaviors including tobacco and alcohol use, and such interventions need to be mainly delivered within school settings. Funding SourcesNone.