Disordered eating patterns, body image, self-esteem, and physical activity in preadolescent school children

Abstract

Objective Eating disorders have been typically defined as an “adolescent problem.” As a result of emerging evidence which indicated this health problem to be evident in the prepubescent age range, this study aimed to establish prevalence and factors associated with eating/dieting, physical activity, and body image among a nonclinical, naturalistically‐derived sample of preadolescent (aged 10 and 11) school children (n = 61). Method: This cohort of children, which represented the entire grade 6 class of a suburban Elementary school, was measured for body image satisfaction [silhouettes], a participation in activity index, a self‐worth scale and a measure of eating attitudes & behavior [Eating and Me scale [E & M]]. Results: The longitudinal assessment of body image [3 measures over 9 months] indicated signs of stability of “actual” assessments of body image for males, but marked changes for females who preferred to be ideally “chunkier” in stature over time. Physical activity was only implicated with bulimia for the male sub‐group. The E & M scale reported a Cronbach's alpha of .76, with two factors [bulimia; drive for thinness/anorexia] representing 65% of the total variance. Moderate internal validity [r .58] between body dissatisfaction on the E & M scale and the silhouette measure was observed. Discussion: These results demonstrated that body image views and concerns appeared before puberty, that gender differences prevailed with respect to eating/dieting, activity and body image, and that the E & M scale has emerged as a promising research tool. The longitudinal nature of this study of eating disorders also promotes the need for qualitative research methodology and attention to pre‐pubertal cognitive/perceptual processes. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 21: 159–166, 1997.

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

“…The desire for thinness was more characteristic for girls than for boys and the heaviest children expressed higher levels of dietary restraint, although high restraint scores were apparent in some children in all weight categories. The gender-speci®c response was also found by Thelen et al 5 and Sands et al 20 A negative correlation was discovered between dietary restraint and various domain-related measures of self-esteem in this age group. The correlation was highest for`physical appearance'.…”

“…16 ± 19 Only a few studies, conducted by Hill and colleagues, have explored this issue in childhood. 1,2,17,20 Hill et al 1 noted a clear relationship between body-esteem and dietary restraint on the one hand and between weight status and dietary restraint on the other. The study failed, however, to ®nd out the precise relationship between the different variables.…”

Body dissatisfaction in Brazilian schoolchildren: prevalence and associated factors

“…8,9,21 Moreover, it is important to be aware of the prevalence of such concerns and attitudes in children, since inadequate eating behavior and insufficient intake of nutritional requirements may also have short-term effects and damage physical and cognitive development. 17 The objective of present study was to assess the prevalence of body dissatisfaction and to examine some of the associated factors, such as self-esteem and weight concerns in a sample of Brazilian schoolchildren.…”

“…However, studies on preteens indicate that body image and eating behavior are set prior to this phase. 17 Children can accurately estimate their body sizes by the age of six. 5 Body dissatisfaction and dieting motivation, as well as the relationship between body satisfaction and self-esteem, may particularly be present before puberty.…”

Fat Kids Can`t Do Maths: Negative Body Weight Stereotyping and Associations with Academic Competence and Participation in School Activities Among Primary School Children

“…Although it is possibly considered 'normal', at least in girls, body dissatisfaction in children is not benign because it correlates with poor psychological functioning [6], lower self-worth and high "drive for thinness" [7]. Poor body image also plays predictive roles in the development of dieting and disordered eating [8] and poorer general self perceptions [9].…”