Inappropriate eating attitudes of Czech adolescentes

Overview

Authors report on results of a questionnaire screening in randomly selected primary andgrammar schools in Prague and České Budějovice focused on the identification of inappropriateeating attitudes and assessment of an impact of factors that can influence a development ofeating disorders. The results of the study of 706 boys and 725 girls confirmed that already inan older school age (an average age of 14.5 years), especially at girls, risk diet attitudes werevery strong. Between 14 and 15 years of age no considerable change occurs in this respect. 60%of girls reported that they ere not satisfied with their bodies and further 60% of girls reportedthat they wished to lose weight. 2% of girls reported that they vomited at least once a week forthese reasons; altogether 10.5% of given girls reported an experience of vomiting for diet reasons.13.8% of girls had higher than critical score in EAT-26. This group, risk from the point of view of view of eating disorders, had an increased risk also regarding addiction to psychoactivesubstances (they smoked cigarettes, marihuana and used alcohol drinks more often). Incomparison with their peers, surprisingly, they had a higher self-esteem and a low score ofpedantry (EDI). Their mothers and sisters dieted more often, their mothers were treated inpsychiatry more often, a relationship with their fathers was evaluated as unsatisfactory anda climate in their families as tensed. Their families eat together less often and were moreoriented to an exceptional performance. Girls with a high EAT score had an opportunity to goout for entertainment more often, went shopping or to shopping centres more often, did sportsand toned up at home more.

Key words:
eating disorders - anorexia nervosa - bulimia nervosa - adolescence - addiction.