Eating attitudes and body satisfaction in adolescents: a prevalence study
Keywords:
body image, eating disorders, Eating Attitudes Test (EAT), Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ)Abstract
Objectives. To determine the prevalence of possible TCA in a sample of adolescents of either sex, in habitants of Girona, as well as to determine the relations between eating attitudes and body shape concerns in adolescent girls.
Subjects and method. The study sample was composed of all adolescent man and women (n=1025), students from Girona, with ages comprised between 14 and 19. The questionnaires used where the EAT-40 (being values over 30 the cut-off point) and the BSQ.
Results. While a 16.3% of adolescent women present potential risk of TCA, only 0.4% adolescent men have the same risk. A 9% of adolescent women show an extreme concern for her body shape and weight, and 13.1% show a moderate worry. Adolescent women that showed the highest symptomatology associated with eating disorders also present a higher dissatisfaction and concern with body shape (r=.65).
Conclusions. The prevalence of possible TCA in Girona city is similar to the one found in other studies. This high prevalence makes necessary the implementation of prevention strategies in younger people.
