Eating attitudes in English secondary school students: influences of ethnicity, gender, mood, and social class.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic position, self-esteem, and emotion on eating attitudes in adolescents.


METHODS
Questionnaire survey of 722 students in two English schools, using Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Angold vMood and Feeling instruments.


RESULTS
EAT scores were significantly higher for Asians and Muslims and for mixed-race subjects than for White or African Caribbean subjects (p =.003). Adjusted odds ratios for having a very high EAT score (>20) were 2.4 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0-6.0) in Asians and Muslims and 2.9 (95% CI 1.3-18.6) in mixed-race subjects, compared with White subjects. Having only one parent employed was also independently associated with a very high EAT score, compared with having both parents employed. Similar associations were found for a moderately high EAT score (>10) and for a combination of low self-esteem and high EAT score. Low self-esteem and depressed mood were independently associated with a high EAT score.


CONCLUSIONS
Ethnicity, socioeconomic position, self-esteem, and depression, but not gender, were independently associated with eating attitudes. Effects of cultural and socioeconomic stresses on eating disorders may be mediated through depressed mood and low self-esteem.
Thomas
Catherine L
CL
Child and Family Consultation Service, Princess Margaret Hospital, Swindon, United Kingdom. gngmomb@med.uovs.ac.za
James
Anthony C
AC
Bachmann
Max O
MO
D000293:Adolescent; D000339:Affect; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004739:England; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D011594:Psychometrics; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012649:Self Concept; D012923:Social Class; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*