Risk and protective factors for disturbed eating in adolescent girls - aspects of perfectionism and attitudes to eating and weight.
The aim of this study was to longitudinally examine the role of personal standards, self-evaluation, perceived benefits of thinness and attitudes to eating and weight in the development of healthy versus disturbed eating in adolescent girls. In a longitudinal study, girls who participated in two assessments, four to five years apart, were divided into three groups according to the attitudes to eating that they manifested at the second evaluation: those with disturbed eating patterns (DE-group, n = 49), those with intermediate concerns about eating (IE-group, n = 260) and those with healthy eating attitudes (HE-group, n = 120). Variables concerning attitudes to eating and weight and physical self-evaluation emerged as risk factors, whereas personal standards or self-evaluation in general did not. Protective factors were a low BMI, healthy eating attitudes, an accepting attitude towards body size and a positive self-evaluation, particularly with regard to physical and psychological characteristics. The results of this study contribute to the understanding of early risk and protective factors for eating disturbances in girls.
Orebro University, School of Health and Medical Sciences, Psychiatric Research Centre, Orebro, Sweden. sanna.aila-gustafsson@orebroll.se
Sanna
S
Aila Gustafsson
Birgitta
B
Edlund
Lars
L
Kjellin
Claes
C
Norring
D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D013548:Sweden; D055815:Young Adult