title: Eating problems and personality traits. An Italian pilot study among 992 high school students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prevalence of eating problems and to investigate personality traits associated with disturbed eating behaviours among Italian high school students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study involving 992 students from six high schools in Turin, Italy. Students completed the Eating Attitudes Test-40 (EAT-40), the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ); their weight and height were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  5.5% of the whole sample and 7.4% of girls scored above the EAT-40 cutoff value. A higher Body Mass Index (BMI) correlates with higher EAT scores. Low scores on Self-Directedness and Reward Dependence together with high Persistence emerged in subjects with eating problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dieting and higher BMI are confirmed as correlates of eating problems. Personality traits measured with the TCI emerge for the first time as correlates of eating problems. Longitudinal studies should clear whether these are risk factors or not.
authors.affiliation: Psichiatria Universitaria CPR DCA, Ospedale San Giovanni Battista-Department of Neuroscience, Psychiatry Section, University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Abbate-Daga
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gramaglia
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Malfi
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pierò
authors.forename: Secondo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fassino
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001290:Attitude / Q000208:ethnology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D002605:Character; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015995:Prevalence; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013694:Temperament