Magazine 2015
International Peer-Reviewed Journal
RESEARCH HORIZONS, VOL. 5 JULY 2015
PSYCHOLOGY
DISORDERED EATING ATTITUDES IN FEMALE ADOLESCENTS
Meghna Basu Thakur, Jyotika Varmani
ABSTRACT
Eating disorders are the focus of a large body of research today. The roots of these disorders, lie in the
attitudes individuals hold about eating. Adolescent girls are a particularly vulnerable population when it
comes to body shape and appearance. The present study looks at specific disordered eating attitudes
among adolescent girls in the urban Indian context. Five areas of eating attitude including relationship
with food, concerns about food and weight gain, restrictive and compensatory practices, feeling toward
eating and idea of normal eating are studied.Data obtained from sixty adolescent girls (N=60) ranging
from the ages 16-17 is analysed. Results are presented referring to specific domains of disordered
eating attitudes. The results are discussed with respect to growing trends of eating attitudes, the influence
of media and religious practices, and the growing influence of the Western culture. The implications of
the study in terms of a need for education of healthy eating practices are also discussed.
Key Words: adolescent girls, disordered eating attitudes, eating attitudes in India
Disordered Eating Attitudes in Female Adolescents
Eating attitudes are defined as beliefs, thoughts, feelings, behaviours and relationship with food (Alvarenga
et.al., 2010). Eating attitudes are the foundation of the development of eating disorders. Healthy eating
attitudes contribute to healthy living (Naughton, McCarthy & McCarthy, 2013).
Adolescence and Eating Attitudes
Adolescence involves a marked growth in social interactions and expectations. This is the time when
there are also important bodily changes like changes in body proportion, size, weight and body image
(
Burgic, Burgic & Gavric 2010). This age is also characterized by a profound impact of the media, and
the growing use of social media (Clarke-Pearson& O’Keeffe, 2011). The glorification of slenderness in the
media is not uncommon (Levine & Smolak, 2010). Several studies have established a strong risk during
adolescence for eating disorders (e.g. Marti, Rohde & Stice, 2014).
Eating Attitudes and Gender
Eating disorders have a strong association to gender. They are more prevalent in females especially in
adolescent girlsowing to their preoccupation with body shape, weight and diet (Burgic, Burgic& Gavric,
2
010). Females are found to be more prone to engage in maladaptive eating behaviours like binge
eating, dieting, and vomiting (Moore et.al., 2009). The indulgence of this population in dieting and other
weight loss strategies are associated to a growing risk of eating disorders (Burgic, Burgic& Gavric,
2010).
Eating Attitudes in Indian Females
It is common knowledge that western cultures place a strong emphasis on physical appearance. Females
in these cultures are found to associate attractiveness to being thin (McCabe & Ricciardelli, 2001).
Several Indian studies have established that adolescent girls in the country show similar ideals as that of
girls in Western cultures with respect to body image disturbance and eating disorders (e.g. Sjostedt,
Shumaker, & Nathawat, 1998; Lunner et al., 2000; Gupta, Chaturvedi, Chandarana, & Johnson, 2001).
The increasing exposure to Western media and fast paced globalization has further increased the presence
of eating disturbance, leading to high levels of body dissatisfaction and a fear of being overweight
(
Gupta et al., 2001; Sjostedt et al., 1998).
The Present Study
There has been a dearth of studies on specific disordered eating attitudes in the Indian context. Hence,
the present study looks at the prevalence of eating attitudes in a sample of Indian adolescent girls with
respect to five areas namely, relationship with food, concerns about food and weight gain, restrictive
and compensatory practices, feeling toward eating and normal eating.
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Research Methodology
Sample
Sixtyfemale adolescent girls studying in different junior colleges were selected based on availability
N=60). Their ages ranged from 16 to 17 years.
(
Measure
The Disordered Eating Attitude Scale (English Version) developed by Alvarenga et.al. in 2010 was
used for the purpose of the study. The internal consistency of the scale has been established as .76.
The scale has been found to have appropriate internal consistency, convergent validity and test–retest
reliability (Alvarenga et.al., 2010) and is useful in measuring eating attitudes in English speaking
countries. The scale is divided into five subscales. Subscale 1 (questions 8,10,13,
1
7,18,19,20,21,22,23,24)deals with relationship with food; subscale 2 (questions 5, 14, 15 and 16)
deals with concerns about food and weight gain; subscale 3 (questions 4,6,7 and 12) deals with restrictive
and compensatory practices; subscale 4 (questions 2,3, and 9) measures feeling toward eating and
subscale 4 (questions 1a,b,c and 11) measure idea of normal eating.
Procedure
Written informed consent regarding the study was obtained from the 60 participants. The scales were
then administered and the participants were orally debriefed about the purpose of the study. The
obtained data was subject to analysis.
Data Analysis
Data was analysed using SPSS 20. The frequency of positive answers to each question and for each
subscale collectively was analysed in terms of percentages. Cut-offs for Likert type responses were set
to include those behaviours that showed very frequent responses. Thus, any response scoring 4 or 5
was considered as a response showing a disordered eating attitude.
Results & Discussion
Of the total adolescent sample, only 5% showed absolutely no signs of disordered eating attitudes.
The remaining 95% showed some or the other disordered attitudes in certain areas. Totally, 35% showed
disordered eating attitudes that can be a cause for concern.
Figure 1 - Prevalence Of The Five Different Types Of Disordered Eating Attitudes In The
Sample
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RESEARCH HORIZONS, VOL. 5 JULY 2015
As seen in figure 1, the highest prevalence rates were found for disordered ideas of normal eating
(
78.33%), followed by restrictive and compensatory eating practices (48.33%), followed by disordered
feelings toward eating (31.67%) and disordered relationship with food (31.67%), followed by concerns
about food and weight gain (28.33%).
Figure 2- Prevalence of the different types of disordered attitudes regarding relationship
to food
As seen in figure 2, the highest prevalence rates among disordered attitudes regarding relationship to
food were found for losing control of eating in buffets (56.67%), followed by compensating for overeating
(
(
50%), followed by concern about counting calories (46.67%), followed by dislike towards eating
31.67%), followed fear about being unable to stop eating (25%), followed by feeling dirty (20%),
followed by guilt about eating (16.67%), followed by the wish for a pill to replace eating (15%) followed
by difficulty in stopping eating (10%) and a belief of food messing up one’s life (10%), followed by
anger about eating (8.33%) and a wish to control appetite (8.33%).
Figure 3- Prevalence of the different types of Concerns about Food and Weight Gain
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As seen in figure 3, the highest prevalence rates were found for worry about weight gain (56.67%),
followed by counting calories (18.33%), followed by persistent worry about eating (8.33%), followed
by not eating high calorie foods (3.33%).
Figure 4- Prevalence of the different types of Restrictive and Compensatory Practices to
Lose Weight
As seen in figure 4, the highest prevalence rates were found for fasting to lose weight (31.67%),
followed by skipping meals to avoid weight gain (28.33%), followed by vomiting/using laxatives or
diuretics to lose weight (13.33%), followed by enjoying feeling of empty stomach (8.33%).
Figure 5- Prevalence of the different types of Disordered Feelings toward Food
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As seen in figure 5, the highest prevalence rates were found for bad memories regarding food (20.00%),
followed by displeasure about eating (16.67%), followed by feeling “dirty” about eating (11.67%).
Figure 6- Prevalence of the different types of Disordered Ideas about Food
As seen in figure 6, the highest prevalence rates were found for disordered beliefs about consumption of
various foods (75.00%) and disordered beliefs about occasional eating when upset (33.33%).
Discussion
From the findings of the present study, it is apparent that disordered eating attitudes among young
adolescent girls are present at noteworthy rates. In their study of adolescent females, Chellapa &
Karunanidhi (2013) reported disordered eating attitudes in 30% of the total sample. 35% of the present
sample showed disordered eating attitudes indicating the rising trend of the phenomenon. The results
show that certain specific areas of eating attitudes need are especially noteworthy.
Distorted Ideas of Nutritional Requirement
The most prevalent type of disordered attitude found in this study is ideas about normal eating. The
media has been considered as the prime factor that has led to a drive for thinness in adolescents
(
Fernandez and Pritchard, 2012). As seen in their responses to questions 1a,b, and c, due to a constant
promotion of eating styles that enable one to remain slim, adolescents have started believing that
certain healthy foods like sugar, bread, rice, etc. need not be consumed at all. This trend is unfortunate
as eating beliefs set in adolescence are found to be carried right through to adulthood (Neumark-
Sczteiner et.al., 2011). It is also found that such attitudes are ineffective for their purpose i.e. weight loss
in the long run (Neumark-Sczteiner et.al., 2012).
Compensation for Overeating
Studies from an ethnic perspective have shown that white women tend to show the highest amount of
compensatory eating behaviour (Crago & Shisslak, 2003). There is a lack of research on restrictive and
compensatory practices of eating in India. Fasting is observed in India commonly as a part of religious
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practices. The results of the present study, however, clearly show that restrictive practices are also
undertaken with an aim to lose weight. The commonality of fasting as a part of culture is perhaps the
reason for its preference to compensatory practices like vomiting and use of laxatives to compensate for
overeating.
A Growing Concern for Calorie Intake
Calorie counting has become an obsession in the world. Concern about overeating on rare occasions is
also a product of this concern. The most obvious outcome of limiting calories is malnutrition. Besides,
excessive calorie counting has been linked to psychological problems like impaired judgment, irrational
behavior, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic attacks and irrational fears. It is also linked to depression
(Whalen, 2015).
Worry about weight gain
Research links worrying about weight gain to a psychological symptom rather than a current trend
(
Casper & Offer, 1990). The media again plays a major role in these concerns. Given the abnormality of
this concern, it is unfortunate that this symptom is persisting at increasing rates.
Limitations
More definite results could be established with the help of a larger sample size. Since the study was
based on the self-report technique, it cannot be guaranteed that the participants have truthfully answered
all the questions.
Implications
The high prevalence of disordered ideas about eating indicates that the common media portrayal of
ideal eating practices and emphasis on being slim at the cost of healthy nourishment needs to be
modified.Adolescents need education on healthy eating rather than on losing weight. Deeper research
needs to be done on distorted ideas of nutritional value of food and on restrictive practices of eating.
Suggestions
Further research can look into disordered eating attitudes in various age groups within the adolescence
age bracket, and particularly look out for the age of onset of extreme eating attitudes. More studies
need to look at attitudes towards eating specifically in the Indian context.
Conclusion
The present study has highlighted the prevalence of disordered eating attitudes and highlighted the
prominent areas of disordered eating attitudes in adolescent girls in India today.
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Meghna Basu Thakur, Asst. Professor & Head, Dept. of Psychology, R.D. National College, Mumbai
Jyoti Varmani, Facutly, Dept. of Psycholoy, R. D. National College, Mumbai.
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