Christine M Peat1, Ann Von Holle1, Hunna Watson1,2,3,4, Lu Huang5, Laura M Thornton1, Bing Zhang6, Shufa Du7, Susan C Kleiman7, Cynthia M Bulik1,7,8. 1. Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. 2. Eating Disorders Program, Child and Adolescent Health Service, Department of Health in Western Australia, Perth, Australia. 3. School of Paediatrics and Child Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia. 4. School of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Curtin University, Perth, Australia. 5. Department of Biostatistics, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee. 6. Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Bejing, China. 7. Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. 8. Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: China has historically reported a low prevalence of eating disorders. However, the rapid social and economic development of this country as well as Western ideals widely disseminated by television and the Internet have led to distinct patterns of behavioral choices that could affect eating disorder risk. Thus, the current study explored the relation between disordered eating and media use. METHOD: Participants were females from the 2009 wave of the China Health and Nutrition Survey (N = 1,053). Descriptive statistics were obtained and logistic regression models, stratified by age (adolescents ages 12-17 years and adults ages 18-35 years), were used to evaluate the association of media use with disordered eating. RESULTS: In adolescents, 46.8% had access to the Internet and those with access averaged one hour per day each of Internet and television use. In adults, 41.4% had access to the Internet, and those with access averaged 1 h per day of Internet use and 2 h per day of television use. Internet access was significantly associated with a subjective belief of fatness (OR = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.6, 4.9) and worry over losing control over eating (OR = 4.8, 95% CI: 2.3, 9.8) only in adults. DISCUSSION: These findings help characterize the overall pattern of media use and report of eating disorder symptoms in a large sample of female Chinese adolescents and adults. That Internet access in adults was significantly associated with disordered eating cognitions might suggest that media access negatively influences these domains; however, more granular investigations are warranted.
OBJECTIVE: China has historically reported a low prevalence of eating disorders. However, the rapid social and economic development of this country as well as Western ideals widely disseminated by television and the Internet have led to distinct patterns of behavioral choices that could affect eating disorder risk. Thus, the current study explored the relation between disordered eating and media use. METHOD:Participants were females from the 2009 wave of the China Health and Nutrition Survey (N = 1,053). Descriptive statistics were obtained and logistic regression models, stratified by age (adolescents ages 12-17 years and adults ages 18-35 years), were used to evaluate the association of media use with disordered eating. RESULTS: In adolescents, 46.8% had access to the Internet and those with access averaged one hour per day each of Internet and television use. In adults, 41.4% had access to the Internet, and those with access averaged 1 h per day of Internet use and 2 h per day of television use. Internet access was significantly associated with a subjective belief of fatness (OR = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.6, 4.9) and worry over losing control over eating (OR = 4.8, 95% CI: 2.3, 9.8) only in adults. DISCUSSION: These findings help characterize the overall pattern of media use and report of eating disorder symptoms in a large sample of female Chinese adolescents and adults. That Internet access in adults was significantly associated with disordered eating cognitions might suggest that media access negatively influences these domains; however, more granular investigations are warranted.
Authors: Mercedes de Onis; Adelheid W Onyango; Elaine Borghi; Amani Siyam; Chizuru Nishida; Jonathan Siekmann Journal: Bull World Health Organ Date: 2007-09 Impact factor: 9.408
Authors: Hilary C Tanenbaum; Jamie Q Felicitas; Yawen Li; Malaika Tobias; Chih-Ping Chou; Paula H Palmer; Donna Spruijt-Metz; Kim D Reynolds; C Anderson Johnson; Bin Xie Journal: J Acad Nutr Diet Date: 2015-08-07 Impact factor: 4.910