Disordered eating attitudes among secondary schoolgirls in Al-Iskan sector, Makkah Al-Mukarramah, Saudi Arabia
Journal Title: International Journal of Medical Science and Public Health - Year 2015, Vol 4, Issue 7
Abstract
Background: A growing number of individuals are showing inappropriate eating behaviors and attitudes without having severe forms. Early and prompt recognition of mild forms can prevent the severe ones. Objective: To estimate the prevalence and associated factors of disordered eating attitudes among secondary schoolgirls in Al-Iskan sector, Makkah Al-Mukarramah, Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study design was adopted among a representative random sample of female secondary school students in Al-Iskan sector, Makkah Al-Mukarramah, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire, the Arabic version of Eating Attitude Test–26 (EAT-26), was used. Anthropometric measurements of weight and height for students were taken. Results: The study included 180 female secondary school students. Their age ranged between 15 and 19 years with a mean of 16.83 and standard deviation of 0.94 years. Majority of them were Saudi (95.6%). Mean EAT-26 score for participants was 16.01±8.88. More than a quarter (26.1%) of adolescent girls scored 20 or above, which is the cutoff point of EAT-26, indicating negative eating attitudes. Almost two-thirds of them (61.7%) were normal weight whereas 18.9% of them were underweight. Overweight and obesity were observed among 11.7% and 7.8% of them, respectively. The highest rate of eating disorder (ED) was reported among underweight students (29.4%) whereas the lowest rate was reported among obese students (7.1%). However, the association between student’s body mass index and ED was not statistically significant ( p = 0.405). EDs are more prevalent in females who believe that others are comparing them with slimmer people; media has an impact on their efforts toward slimness and world fashion and style has a role on their trial to lose weight. Conclusion: The high prevalence of disordered eating attitudes among schoolgirls in Al-Iskan sector in Makkah Al-Mukarramah is of great concern. It indicated that adolescent girls in this study had experience weight and shape concerns similar to those in Western populations
Authors and Affiliations
Malak M. Allihaibi
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP95510
- DOI 10.5455/ijmsph.2015.12032015191
- Views 111
- Downloads 0
Prevalence and determinants of overweight and obesity among elderly population in an urban area of Puducherry
Background : Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in India, with morbid obesity affecting 5% of the country’s population. Objectives: To measure the prevalence and determinants of overweight and obesity among eld...
A comparative randomized study to evaluate the effect of gabapentin alone and in combination with labetalol in attenuating the pressor response to direct laryngoscopy and intubation
Background: Direct laryngoscopy and intubation are associated with the pressor response which leads to increase in blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) which may be tolerated by young healthy individuals but can prove...
Assessment of airborne infection control practices in the pulmonary medicine ward in a tertiary-care hospital of south Gujarat
Background: Airborne transmission of infectious diseases is a major public health concern. This airborne transmission becomes even more prevalent in health-care settings because of overburdened hospitals and the pres...
Synchronous endometrioid carcinoma of bilateral ovaries and uterus: A case report
Synchronous primary cancer of female genital tract is relatively uncommon; about 0.5–1.7% of women with gynecological malignancies have synchronous primary cancers of the female genital tract. Synchronous primary endomet...
Morbidity profile of a rural and an urban population in South India
Background: Morbidity rate is one of the indicators of health status of the population along with life expectancy and mortality rates. As very few information is available on morbidity pattern among the population, this...