Eating concerns and media influences in an Irish adolescent context.
OBJECTIVE
EPICA is the first large-scale Irish study of a school-going population examining the impact of media influences on eating attitudes.


METHODS
Students were screened using the EAT-26, EDI-III and a study-specific questionnaire. A sub-sample of parents' views was included.


RESULTS
Three thousand and thirty-one students (mean age 14.74) and 56 parents enrolled. The majority (71.4%) of adolescents felt adversely affected by media portrayal of body weight and shape, with more than a quarter (25.6%) believing it to be 'far too thin'. A significant correlation between media impact and high EAT scores (chi2 = 450.78, df = 2, p < 0.05) and EDI-III scores (chi2 = 387.51, df = 4, p < 0.05) was demonstrated. Parents also view media portrayal as too thin (94.7%), less than half are adversely affected by it (49.2%) but the majority (71.9%) believe their children to be.


CONCLUSIONS
Media portrayal of body weight and shape is correlated with eating psychopathology and may affect adolescents more than adults. School psycho-educational programmes and media policies are urgently needed to minimise any detrimental effect.
McNicholas
Fiona
F
Department of Child Psychiatry, Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin12, Ireland. Fiona.mcnicholas@sjog.ie
Lydon
Alma
A
Lennon
Ruth
R
Dooley
Barbara
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D004435:Eating / Q000523:psychology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires