Cristiana Duarte1, Cláudia Ferreira2, Inês A Trindade2, José Pinto-Gouveia2. 1. Cognitive and Behavioural Centre for Research and Intervention (CINEICC), Faculdade de Psicologia e Ciências da Educação, Universidade de Coimbra, Rua do Colégio Novo, Apartado 6153, 3001-802, Coimbra, Portugal. cristianaoduarte@gmail.com. 2. Cognitive and Behavioural Centre for Research and Intervention (CINEICC), Faculdade de Psicologia e Ciências da Educação, Universidade de Coimbra, Rua do Colégio Novo, Apartado 6153, 3001-802, Coimbra, Portugal.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Adolescence has been considered a critical time for the development of body image-related difficulties and disordered eating behaviours, especially in females. Although adherence to eating rules has been linked to disordered eating, literature has not yet explored how the inflexible subscription to those rules impacts on eating psychopathology. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to explore whether inflexible eating impacts on the relationships between weight and body image-related variables, and disordered eating. METHODS: Participated in this study are 497 female adolescents from the community, aged between 14 and 18 years old, who completed self-report measures. RESULTS: Results revealed that the majority of the participants were dissatisfied with their weight and body shape. Moreover, 6.64 % of the participants demonstrated severe eating psychopathology. A path analysis revealed that BMI, body dissatisfaction and social comparisons based on physical appearance impact on disordered eating behaviours, through the mechanism of inflexible adherence to eating rules. This model explained 52 % of eating psychopathology's variance. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight the relevance of body image-related difficulties in adolescence and additionally they emphasise the importance of promoting more flexible attitudes towards eating in prevention and intervention programmes with female adolescents.
PURPOSE: Adolescence has been considered a critical time for the development of body image-related difficulties and disordered eating behaviours, especially in females. Although adherence to eating rules has been linked to disordered eating, literature has not yet explored how the inflexible subscription to those rules impacts on eating psychopathology. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to explore whether inflexible eating impacts on the relationships between weight and body image-related variables, and disordered eating. METHODS: Participated in this study are 497 female adolescents from the community, aged between 14 and 18 years old, who completed self-report measures. RESULTS: Results revealed that the majority of the participants were dissatisfied with their weight and body shape. Moreover, 6.64 % of the participants demonstrated severe eating psychopathology. A path analysis revealed that BMI, body dissatisfaction and social comparisons based on physical appearance impact on disordered eating behaviours, through the mechanism of inflexible adherence to eating rules. This model explained 52 % of eating psychopathology's variance. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight the relevance of body image-related difficulties in adolescence and additionally they emphasise the importance of promoting more flexible attitudes towards eating in prevention and intervention programmes with female adolescents.
Entities:
Keywords:
Adolescence; Body dissatisfaction; Community sample; Disordered eating; Eating psychopathology; Inflexible eating rules; Social comparison
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