Abnormal eating attitudes in London schoolgirls — a prospective epidemiological study: outcome at twelve month follow-up

Abstract

SynopsisThe occurrence and course of eating disorder in a large representative population of 15-year-old London schoolgirls has been assessed using a two-stage survey methodology. Attempts to control weight were common and often transient. Dieting was in the great majority of girls found to be a benign practice without progression to more extreme concerns about food and weight. However, a small proportion of dieters did become cases and formed the majority of new cases found at follow-up. The relative risk of dieters becoming cases was eight times that of non-dieters. Many factors conventionally associated with eating disorder were associated more with attempting weight control than caseness. These included pre-morbid personality, pre-morbid obesity and family weight pathology. Other factors, including social class, career choice and psychosexual development, had no association either with attempting weight control or caseness.

Abnormal eating attitudes and weight-loss behaviour of adolescent girls attending a “traditional” Jewish high school in Johannesburg, South Africa

“…This is concerning, given that dieters of normal body weight have been found to be eight times more likely to develop an eating disorder than their non-dieting counterparts. 36 It has been noted that women who have developed cognitive schemas that associate being underweight with positive attributes report higher eating disorder symptoms. 37 In this study, being underweight rather than the correct weight appeared to be viewed by many subjects as desirable.…”

The perceived onset of dieting and loss of control eating behaviors in overweight children

“…Both retrospective and prospective studies in adolescents have found self-reported dieting to predict bulimic symptoms (Field, Camargo, Taylor, Berkey, & Colditz, 1999;Stice & Agras, 1998) and eating-related psychopathology (Leon, Fulkerson, Perry, Keel, & Klump, 1999;Patton, Johnson-Sabine, Wood, Mann, & Wakeling, 1990;Santonastaso, Friederici, & Favaro, 1999). Such results have been interpreted as consistent with restraint theory, which posits that dietary restriction should increase the risk for the onset of binge eating and bulimic pathology (Polivy & Herman, 1985).…”

Dietary restraint in normal weight and overweight children. A cross-sectional study

“…5 This has caused concern, because food restriction is seen not only as a threat to the nutritional status of children, but also as a risk factor in the development of eating disorders. 6 Patton 7 pointed out that the relative risk of developing eating disorders is eight times higher in dieting as compared to non-dieting 15-y-old girls. In a subsequent study of Patton,8 female subjects that dieted excessively were 18 times more likely to develop an eating disorder within 3 y than those that did not diet.…”