Abnormal Eating Attitudes Research Articles

Actitud alimentaria anómala y su relación con la imagen corporal en una muestra urbana de adolescentes valencianos

The aims of the present research were to asses the prevalence of abnormal eating attitudes in a sample of adolescents, aged 14-18, who attend secondary school in the 9th wealth area of Valencia, and analyse the relationship between such attitudes and anthropometric measurements, body self-image and diets. The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) by Garner and Garfinkel, and the Body Shape Questionnaire by Cooper were used. The adolescents’ weigh and eight were measured and the Quetelet Index was calculated. Information about diets, body shape self-evaluation and wish for changing weight was collected. Prevalence of risky eating attitudes, was 19.8% for the girls (n=197) and 1,76% for the boys (n=170). The EAT scores were significantly higher for girls aged 16, the subjects who wished a body shape reduction, women who self-evaluated with overweight and obesity, girls who were on a diet during the last year and women that knew fiends and relatives going on it. The distortion of body shape was significantly higher for woman with objective overweight, women self-evaluated with overweight and obesity, women who wished a body shape reduction and women who were on a diet.

Effect of Nutrition Education on Eating Attitudes Among College-Age Students

The purpose of this study was to determine whether nutrition education had an effect on eating attitudes and behaviors among a convenient sample of Bowling Green State University (BGSU) college students. The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT), was used to collect the data (Garner & Garfinkel, 1979). The EAT is a 40-item. Liekert-type scale instrument used to identify characteristics of eating disorders. A convenient sample of students (n=285) was taken from an introductory food and nutrition course and two human development and family studies courses. The questionnaire was administered in a pre-test/post-test fashion. The EAT - 40 questionnaire was given as the testing device, but because fourteen items were found to be redundant the EAT - 26 was used to analyze the results (Garner et al., 1982). The current study showed that for the pre-test EAT - 26, no males and 14% of the females in the comparison group scored ≥ 19, which indicated a predisposition to an eating disorder. On the post-test EAT -26, 18% of the females in the comparison group scored ≥19. In the treatment group, 11% of the males and 22% of the females scored ≥ 19 on the pre-test and 17% of the males and 27% of the females scored ≥ 19 on the post-test. Significantly more females scored above the cut-off score on the EAT questionnaire when compared to males. Data analysis revealed significant differences between males and females on the Dieting subscale. The current research demonstrated a higher prevalence of potential eating disorder tendencies among college students in a non-clinical population at Bowling Green State University than previous studies on students at BGSU. The study determined that the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) is a valid instrument to measure potential abnormal eating attitudes and behaviors in non-clinical populations not diagnosed with eating disorders. However, it was concluded that caution should be used when using the EAT on non-clinical populations. Overall, nutrition education had a positive impact on the EAT - 26 scores of the sample of students in the treatment group.

The inter-generational transmission of eating disorders

A self-perpetuating cycle has been implicated between early childhood feeding problems and later eating disorders; between parental management style and eating disorders in the child; and between the way a mother was raised and her own parenting behaviour. Questionnaires were distributed to all nurseries in a discrete area of the West Midlands, to elicit information about both nursery-school children's eating behaviour, and the eating attitudes and management style of their primary caregiver. Comparisons were made between the eating behaviour of children whose caregiver showed evidence of abnormal eating attitudes, as demonstrated by their scores on BITE and EAT-26, and that of a control group drawn from the same population. Food refusal and fussiness were hypothesized to be orthogonal dimensions of eating behaviour in the child. Food refusal significantly correlated with the management style of mealtimes when there was evidence of disordered eating in the caregiver, and co-varied with the caregiver's eating attitudes. Food fussiness was seen to be relatively stable across groups, but correlated with the management style of caregivers. This supports the hypothesis that food refusal and food fussiness are distinct behaviours, rather than degrees of the same behaviour. Copyright © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Are College Students Taking an Introductory Nutrition Course Following the Dietary Guidelines for Americans?

Compliance of 1,254 undergraduate students in following the “Dietary Guidelines for Americans” (DGA) was studied using a self-recorded 5-day food record, and computer dietary analysis. The students completed the EAT-40 to measure abnormal attitudes or behaviors associated with food intake and body image. Data were collected when the sample was enrolled (once) in an introductory nutrition course between 1993 and 1997. Females comprised 75% of the sample, and 55% of the sample were required to complete the course as a part of their major. Students voluntarily completed the EAT-40 in week 2 (Garner & Garfinkel, 1979), and a 5-day food record (as a homework assignment) in the 12th week. Data analysis of EAT-40 scores showed that 17.5% of the women (n=l65) and 3.9% of the men (n=12) had EAT-40 scores ⩾ 30, which indicated abnormal eating attitudes and behaviors. Female EAT-40 scores were higher (p<.0001) than males. Analysis of the 5-day self-reported food records showed that the men consumed more calories (p<.0001) and had higher BMIs (p<.0001) than the women. Correlation analysis showed a weak relationship (r=0.2) between BMI and caloric intake. Five-day averages for iron, zinc, and calcium consumed by the subjects were compared to Daily Reference Intakes (DRI). Men met the DRI for iron and calcium, but not zinc. The women as a group did not meet the DRI for iron, calcium, or zinc. As a group, men consumed 30% of their calories from fat, while women consumed 27% of their calories from fat. The study concluded that the sample was meeting the DGA for fat intake (⩽30% of calories from fat), but were not meeting the DGA or DRI for measured minerals. Lack of mineral intake of the women and zinc for the men have chronic disease potential. Introductory nutrition courses need to stress and illustrate how to eat for health. Food attitudes, behaviors, and eating disorders should also be a class focus.

Validity of the Arabic version of the Eating Attitude Test.

To assess the validity of the Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26) in Arabic as a screening instrument in nonclinical populations. A representative sample of Grade 7-12 female students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was selected randomly but proportional to various social classes. The girls were independently assessed by the EAT-26 and a structured clinical interview. One hundred twenty-nine subjects were included. Twenty-five were identified by EAT-26 as having abnormal eating attitudes. One case was identified as anorexia nervosa by the interview and no cases of bulimia were found. EAT-26 was found to be highly sensitive and reasonably specific. Like some other studies in non-Western populations, it yielded a high false positive rate and a low positive predictive value. Because of its low cost and practicality, EAT-26 might be a useful tool in screening large populations for eating disorders.

Prevalence of Anorexic Attitudes and Behaviors among Undergraduate College Students

LEARNING OUTCOME: To examine the prevalence of eating attitudes and behaviors in college students that are associated with symptoms of anorexia nervosa using the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT).Anorexia nervosa is common among college students. Diagnosis of anorexia nervosa can only be obtained by clinical evaluation, however, instruments are available to detect behaviors and attitudes that are characteristic of this disorder. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of anorexic attitudes and behaviors among college students. 671 college students, enrolled in an introductory food and nutrition course, volunteered to complete the Eating Attitude Test (EAT). The EAT is a 40 question, Liekert scale instrument which measures the severity of symptomatic responses. A score equal to or greater than 30 was considered at risk for anorexia nervosa. In this study sample, 15.5% scored at risk. 5% of 182 males and 19% of 489 females had scores indicating that they display abnormal eating attitudes and behaviors. Chi Square tests found differences between gender (p<0.001) for the total EAT score. Multivariate Analysis of Variance of mean responses on the three subscales of the EAT (Dieting, Bulimia and Food Preoccupation, Oral Control) found differences for gender (p<0.0001) and body mass index (BMI) (p<0.0001). Analysis of Variance found differences between males and females on the Dieting (p<0.0001) and Bulimia (p<0.0001) subscales, but not the Oral Control subscale. Differences were found on the Dieting subscale between those classified as underweight versus those of normal weight (p<0.04) and overweight (p<0.005). Differences were also found on the Bulimia subscale between underweight versus overweight subjects (p<0.01) and normal weight versus overweight (p<0.009). Differences existed between underweight versus both normal (p<0.0001) and overweight subjects (p<0.0001), as well as, normal versus overweight subjects (p<0.0004) on the Oral Control subscale.This study demonstrated a higher prevalence rate among college students of abnormal eating attitudes and behaviors than other similar reported studies using the EAT on this population group.

A two-stage epidemiological study of abnormal eating attitudes and their prospective risk factors in Polish schoolgirls.

In this longitudinal two-stage screening study of abnormal eating attitudes and behaviours in Polish schoolgirls self-report questionnaires (EAT-26) were completed by 747 schoolgirls aged between 14 and 16 years. On the basis of their EAT-26 scores 167 girls were selected for a clinical interview conducted blind to questionnaire scores. No clinical cases of DSM-III-R anorexia or bulimia nervosa were identified, however, there was a point prevalence of 2.34% for subclinical eating disorder and of 28.6% for dieting. Natural history was investigated, repeating the screening and interviews after 10 months. Both the group mean EAT-26 score and the proportion of subclinical cases remained the same at follow-up however, individual girls showed substantial fluctuations over time. On re-screening 11.5% of the sample had moved EAT category (based on scoring below or above the clinical cut-off point). Follow-up interviews showed that 58% (7) of the original subclinical cases were no longer cases while seven girls were "new' subclinical cases. This second stage of the study also aimed to investigate the risk factors for the development of eating disorders. Several family factors distinguished the dieters from non-dieters at the initial stage. Subjects who began dieting between the initial and follow-up interviews had higher Body Mass Index, felt more overweight and had greater discrepancy between their current and ideal weights than the non-dieters. However, analysis of regression revealed no specific risk factors for development of a subclinical syndrome.

Prevalence of Abnormal Eating Attitudes and Behaviors in Hospital-Based Primary and Tertiary Care Clinics: A Window of Opportunity?

ObjectiveThe “athletic triad” of amenorrhea, os-teopenia, and eating disorders (EDs) has received increasing attention in the past decade. Adolescents may seek care for amenorrhea or other menstrual irregularity before disclosure of an eating disorder to a primary care clinician. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of abnormal eating attitudes and behaviors in adolescent girls going to a clinic for reproductive endocrinology (RE) visits versus the prevalence in girls going for health maintenance (HM) visits. DesignAll patients aged 8–22 years going to RE or HM clinics were given a 26-item modified eating attitudes test (EAT) and two pages of questions on other eating issues and demographics. Informed consent was obtained from all participants, and also from the parents of those less than 18 years of age. SettingAll subjects were seen at a hospital-based ambulatory (HM) or subspecialty (RE) clinic, with both clinics located on the same floor. ParticipantsThe study included 53 girls from the RE clinic and 108 girls from the HM clinic. All demographics were similar except that the RE patients were slightly older and had significantly more parents with masters or doctorate degrees. Main Outcome MeasuresStudy variables were compared between RE and HM groups using either the Student's t test or the Chi-‘square test, with statistical significance defined as p < 0.05. A score of 20 or higher on the modified EAT was correlated with a high risk of EDs and was used as a measure of prevalence of abnormal eating attitudes and behaviors. ResultsModified EAT scores were 11.8±8.9 in RE patients vs 7.0±7.2 in HM patients (p < 0.001), with 10 (18.9%) RE patients and 7 (6.5%) HM patients having scores of at least 20 (p = 0.016). No differences in daily exercise, dairy consumption, or use of vomiting or laxatives to control weight were found. As expected, RE patients were significantly more likely to experience menstrual irregularities than the HM patients (p < 0.001). ConclusionsAdolescents attending a reproductive endocrinology clinic showed a higher prevalence of abnormal eating attitudes and behaviors than did those going to a clinic for HM visits. Early detection of eating disorders may occur both within and outside of the primary care setting through use of a modified EAT.

Abnormal eating attitudes and behaviours in two ethnic groups from a female British urban population

African-Caribbean (N = 136) and White British (N = 192) female family planning clinic attenders were administered the Bulimic Investigatory Test, Edinburgh (BITE) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). A proportion of the participants were subsequently interviewed. The African-Caribbeans were found to have both significantly more disordered eating attitudes and a significantly higher level of abnormal eating behaviour than the White British. Although the African-Caribbean group had a significantly higher mean Body Mass Index this did not mediate the difference in levels of eating attitudes. When compared with the White British group more African-Caribbean women reported feelings of failure, guilt, abnormality and self-consciousness concerning their eating habits. The results indicate that eating problems may be highly prevalent in this ethnic minority population and suggest that there may be differences in the nature of eating disorder psychopathology between ethnic groups.

Abnormal eating attitudes and behaviours in two ethnic groups from a female British urban population

African-Caribbean (N = 136) and White British (N = 192) female family planning clinic attenders were administered the Bulimic Investigatory Test, Edinburgh (BITE) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). A proportion of the participants were subsequently interviewed. The African-Caribbeans were found to have both significantly more disordered eating attitudes and a significantly higher level of abnormal eating behaviour than the White British. Although the African-Caribbean group had a significantly higher mean Body Mass Index this did not mediate the difference in levels of eating attitudes. When compared with the White British group more African-Caribbean women reported feelings of failure, guilt, abnormality and self-consciousness concerning their eating habits. The results indicate that eating problems may be highly prevalent in this ethnic minority population and suggest that there may be differences in the nature of eating disorder psychopathology between ethnic groups.

Weight Perceptions in Children: The Roots of Dieting

Disturbed body image perceptions and eating attitudes have been well documented in adults and adolescents. Few studies have examined young children for disordered eating attitudes and body images.Six hundred and twenty-eight fifth and sixth graders from five schools in Northeastern Pennsylvania completed a Body Figure Preference Questionnaire, the children's Eating Attitude Test (chEat) and a dieting questionnaire. Heights, weights and body mass index were obtained on each student.Results showed, 58% of all students, 73% of girls and 43% of boys, wanted to be thinner; 58% of all students had already attempted weight loss and 11% scored within the disordered eating attitude range on the chEat. Thirty-five percent of the children were overweight/obese.In comparison to boys, girls were shown to score significantly higher on the chEat and preferred a significantly smaller desired body figure than their current body figure (p<.0001). Over 33% of girls, compared to only 13% of boys, described themselves as “too fat”. One-quarter of the children had been encouraged by their parents to lose weight, and eight percent reported active dieting.The findings indicate that abnormal eating attitudes are present by grade five. Many young girls were shown to have disturbed and unrealistic body image perceptions. The data demonstrated the necessity for increased educational instructions at school, at home and in the media, on nutrition, body image and self-esteem.Finally, physicians, teachers and parents must accept the occurrence of eating disorders in children, and devote time and effort into successful identification and interventions.

Eating habits and attitudes among mothers of children with feeding disorders.

Feeding disturbances in young children are common.1 Furthermore, eating disorders are a substantial source of psychiatric morbidity among women of childbearing age.2 There has been no published research examining whether feeding disturbances of clinical severity in children are related to abnormal eating habits and attitudes among their mothers—though there is evidence that parents with eating disorders can adversely influence their young children's development, including feeding.3 If there were such a relation it would have important implications for the management of such children. Over 12 months the mothers of all children with ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision)4 diagnoses of a feeding disorder who were referred to local child psychiatric clinics covering one geographical area were identified (n=32). ICD-10 criteria require that a feeding disorder in infancy or …

Eating Attitudes Test in Japan

A Japanese version of the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) was developed and validated using a group of anorectics and Japanese female controls. Its sensitivity was considered to be low for anorectics, especially for the fasting type anorectics. A cross-cultural comparison of the EAT scores of anorectics showed some significant differences among those found in Japan, Canada and Germany. A survey of eating disorders among 286 Japanese female students was carried out with a Japanese EAT. Three cases of bulimia nervosa were identified in this survey, although no clear case of anorexia nervosa could be identified. The EAT seemed to be useful to screen cases of bulimia nervosa and sensitive to distinguish abnormal eating attitudes among the young females in Japan.

Predictors of eating psychopathology in adolescent girls

AbstractAs part of a prospective study of the development of eating symptomatology, adolescent girls completed measures of eating attitudes and self‐esteem. At two‐year follow‐up, the predictive validity of those measures was tested. Abnormal eating attitudes at baseline predicted both unhealthy eating attitudes and partial syndrome eating disorder (PSED) at follow‐up. Poor self‐esteem at baseline predicted unhealthy eating attitudes, but was not significantly associated with PSED. The results suggest that measures of both eating attitudes and self‐esteem have potential value as screening instruments for subsequent eating problems, assisting in targeting intervention at an early stage.

Weight changes and eating attitudes of Japanese adolescents under acculturative stresses: A prospective study

An increased rate of pathological eating attitudes has been reported among the people under acculturative stresses. We therefore carried out a prospective study of eating patterns in a cohort of 144 Japanese adolescents who spent 1 year with a host family in various countries of the world. The subjects showed a statistically significant gain in standardized body weight. Although the students did not report greater prevalence of abnormal eating attitudes under acculturative stresses than before, a substantial minority of them manifested maladaptive eating patterns. Among the psychosocial variables measured before departure, personality traits of neuroticism and introversion correlated with high drive for thinness during the stay; parental overprotection, lack of interoceptive awareness, and interpersonal distrust predicted bulimic behaviors. The findings are discussed from a transcultural point of view.

Idiopathic edema and eating disorders: Evidence for an association

Using a computerized self-report questionnaire format incorporating the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) and a modification of the McKendry criteria for the diagnosis of idiopathic edema (IE), the authors surveyed a population of women students to determine the prevalence of IE symptoms and their relationship to abnormal eating attitudes and behaviors (AEAB). The mean age of 177 respondents was 20.8 years. IE symptoms were reported by 12.4% of respondents, and AEAB by 16.4%. The prevalence of IE symptoms was 37.9% in respondents with AEAB and 7.4% in normal respondents (p = .0001). A score of 11 or greater on the modified McKendry IE criteria had a sensitivity of .37, specificity of .93, positive predictive value of .5, and a negative predictive value of .89 for an abnormal EAT-26 score. Body mass index (BMI) scores were similar for all respondent groups.

Eating attitudes, health-risk behaviors, self-esteem, and anxiety among adolescent females in a suburban high school

In order to determine whether adolescent females with abnormal eating attitudes display lower levels of self-esteem and higher levels of anxiety than tiheir peers, and whether these adolescents participate in health-risk behaviors to a greater or lesser degree than their peers, we administered a series of questionnaires to the females attending a suburban high school in New York State. The questionnaires, completed by 268 students (mean age, 16.2 years), included data on health-risk behaviors and weight attitudes, an Eating Attitudes Test, a self-esteem scale, and an anxiety inventory. Results indicated that almost two-thirds of the students described themselves as overweight, almost three-quarters felt they were above the healthiest weight for their age and height and almost four-fifths were above the weight at which they would be most happy; 18% of the students scored 30 or more out the Eating Attitudes Test, a score suggestive of an eating disorder. Use of Spearman-rank correlation coefffcients and multiple linear regression analysis revealed that those with more unhappiness with their weight and higher scores on the eating attitudes test were more likely to have lower self-esteem and higher anxiety and to participate more in health-risk behaviors, including cigarette smoking, alcohol use, drug use, and sexual activity with more total partners. The data from this study further corroborate the growing belief that health-risk behaviors tend to cluster together in vulnerable adolescents and demonstrate that abnormal eating attitudes and behaviors may be part of this cluster, especially in females with low self-esteem and high levels of anxiety.

Screening for abnormal eating attitudes in an unselected population of 16 year old Dublin schoolgirls

Screening for abnormal eating attitudes in an unselected population of 16 year old Dublin schoolgirls

Abnormal Eating Attitudes and Body Image in Older Undernourished Individuals

An anorexia nervosa-like syndrome has been reported in older persons. To gain additional insight into this condition, a questionnaire designed to assess the severity of eating disorders (the EAT-26) was administered to 183 male outpatients. Thirty-four subjects were found to be undernourished by midarm circumference measurement and 21 by weight adjusted for age-sex-height. Approximately 60% of malnourished subjects acknowledged inappropriate self-control around food, up to 26% described other unsuitable eating attitudes, and 3% to 52% evidenced various forms of distorted body image. They scored high on EAT-26 Oral Control subscale but low to normal on Dieting and Bulimia and Food Preoccupation subscales. These results indicate that abnormal eating attitudes and body image occur in an important minority of undernourished elderly males, but the pattern of abnormalities differs from that seen in classical anorexia nervosa. This association deserves additional investigation, with special attention to the psychopathology producing high Oral Control responses and to females as well as males. In the meantime, clinicians need to consider anorexia-like attitudes when caring for malnourished seniors.

Abnormal eating attitudes in London schoolgirls — a prospective epidemiological study: outcome at twelve month follow-up

The occurrence and course of eating disorder in a large representative population of 15-year-old London schoolgirls has been assessed using a two-stage survey methodology. Attempts to control weight were common and often transient. Dieting was in the great majority of girls found to be a benign practice without progression to more extreme concerns about food and weight. However, a small proportion of dieters did become cases and formed the majority of new cases found at follow-up. The relative risk of dieters becoming cases was eight times that of non-dieters. Many factors conventionally associated with eating disorder were associated more with attempting weight control than caseness. These included pre-morbid personality, pre-morbid obesity and family weight pathology. Other factors, including social class, career choice and psychosexual development, had no association either with attempting weight control or caseness.