A two-phase population study: relationships between overweight, body composition and risk of eating disorders.

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND: Overweight and eating disorder (ED) are major public health problems in adolescents. Aims: To assess the association of overweight, body composition and anthropometric characteristics with the probability being at risk of ED. METHODS: A two-phase study was used. 329 girls and 96 boys (aged 12-18 years) from an initial sample of 2967 adolescents were studied. The BMI, percentage of fat mass estimated by bioimpedance (FM(BIA)), waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, and waist-to-hip ratio (WHipr) were calculated. The Eating Attitudes Test, Youth's Inventory-4 and a questionnaire to evaluate social influences were administered. RESULTS: A total of 34.7% of girls and 53.6% of boys at risk of ED were overweight (including obesity). For girls, overweight frequency was significantly higher in risk ED group than in control group. Increases of one point in the BMI or FM(BIA) increased the probability of being at risk of ED by 12% (3.0-19.0) and 4% (0.0-8.0), respectively. An increase in WHipr was negatively associated with ED risk. Smoking and symptoms of dysthymia and the genralized anxiety disorder also increase the probability of being at risk of ED in adolescent girls. In adolescent boys, these relations were not observed. CONCLUSIONS: The higher BMI and the percentage of FM(BIA) are associated with greater risk of ED in adolescent girls, when psychological factors are present. Increases in the WHipr, characteristic of childhood body is negatively associated with that risk.

Author information

Author/s: Babio, N (N); Canals, J (J); Pietrobelli, A (A); Pérez, S (S); Arija, V (V);

Affiliation: Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Rovira i Virgili University, Reus 43201, Spain.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Nutrición hospitalaria : organo oficial de la Sociedad Española de Nutrición Parenteral y Enteral (Nutr Hosp), published in Spain. (Language: eng)

Reference: -2009 Jul-Aug; vol 24 (issue 4) : pp 485-91

Dates: Created 2009/09/01; Completed 2009/10/28;

PMID: 19721930, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 10/28/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article
(including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.