Prevalence of distorted body image in young Koreans and its association with age, sex, body weight status, and disordered eating behaviors.
OBJECTIVE
To define the prevalence of distorted body image in 10-24-year-old Koreans and determine its relationship with sex, age, body weight status, and disordered eating behaviors.


METHODS
A total of 3,227 young Koreans were recruited from elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as from universities. The participants completed a self-reported questionnaire on body image, eating behaviors (Eating Attitude Test-26), and body weight status.


RESULTS
The prevalence of a distorted body image in males was 49.7% and that in females was 51.2%. Distorted body image was more frequent in adolescents (age, 10-17 years) than in young adults (age, 18-24 years). The highest prevalence (55.3%) was reported in female elementary school students (age, 10-12 years). Distorted body image was associated with disordered eating behaviors and abnormal body weight status.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that distorted body image is a public health problem, given its high frequency in young Koreans, and that it is associated with abnormal body weight status and disordered eating behaviors.
Department of Preventive Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju, Republic of Korea.
Seong-Chul
SC
Hong
Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju, Republic of Korea.
Young-Eun
YE
Jung
Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju, Republic of Korea.
Moon-Doo
MD
Kim
Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju, Republic of Korea.
Chang-In
CI
Lee
College of Nursing, Jeju National University, Jeju, Republic of Korea.
Mi-Yeul
MY
Hyun
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Won-Myong
WM
Bahk
Department of Psychiatry, Naju National Hospital, Naju, Republic of Korea.
Bo-Hyun
BH
Yoon
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Dongguk University, Gyeongju, Republic of Korea.
Kwang Heun
KH
Lee
BMI; Eating Attitude Test; disordered eating behaviors; distorted body image; weight status; young Koreans