title: Knowledge and practice of eating disorders among a group of adolescent dental patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objectives are to ascertain how much is known about the eating disorders of bulimia and anorexia nervosa in a group of female adolescents, to determine if they had practiced behaviors consistent with these eating disorders, and to determine if there was a disconnect with actual and perceived healthy weight status.
  
  
  METHODS
  126 research subjects completed a survey instrument. Embedded in the eighteen question survey were the five "SCOFF" questions, to determine if an eating disorder may exist. The BMI percentile was obtained for all participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  18.3% of the research sample may have an eating disorder as predicted by the SCOFF questions. Of those with a suspected eating disorder, only 38% could correctly identify the best description of bulimia nervosa and 50% for anorexia nervosa. The BMI percentiles were higher in the group suspected of having an eating disorder
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Young adolescent females are at risk for eating disorders. Educational interventions should be directed at this young age group. If the at-risk individuals knew more about the consequences of these disorders, they may be less likely to practice the behaviors.
authors.forename: Travis M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, University of North Carolina School of Dentistry, Chapel Hill, 27599-7450, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, University of North Carolina School of Dentistry, USA.
authors.forename: Tung
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: La Via
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, University of North Carolina School of Dentistry, Chapel Hill, 27599-7450, USA.
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Roberts
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires