The prevalence of eating disorders has been increasing in the last 20 years, not only in developed countries, but also in less developed countries such as Turkey. This study was conducted among 610 university students, 338 males and 272 females who are between 17 and 23 years old, in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, to determine eating disorders among the young. The data regarding the eating disorders and self-evaluation were assessed according to the EAT-40 test and the Body Cathexis Scale. The scores received from the eating attitudes test were low among the underweight (18.9 ± 9.7) and higher among the overweight (21.6 ± 15.9). Eating disorders risks are more prevalent among females compared to males (P < 0.001). 17.2% of the underweight and 21.2% of the overweight are at higher risk of eating disorders. There was a positive correlation between the eating attitudes test scores and young people's body weight, BMI, mid-upper arm and waist circumferences, while a negative correlation was determined between the body cathexis scores and these variables. The authors believe that educating young people about healthy nutrition and monitoring them through longitudinal research studies will be helpful to prevent eating disorders, which are significant in terms of public health.
Eating disorders are major public health problems among adolescents because of their high prevalence and their potentially serious physical and psychosocial consequences (Ackard, Neumark-Sztainer, Story, & Perry, 2003; Golden et al., 2003; Stice, Hayward, Cameron, Kilen, & Taylor, 2000). According to several authors, the prevalence of these eating disorders (between 1% and 41%) has remarkably increased in the last few years (Favaro, Ferrara, & Santonastaso, 2003; Hoek, 2006; Sepulveda, Carrobles, & Gandarillas, 2008). Today, eating disorders are considered as psychiatric diseases which are prevalent and mostly affect young girls and women (Berry & Howe, 2000; Golden, 2003). Biological, psychological and cultural factors and eating habits are very important in the etiology of eating disorders, which are usually seen in middle socioeconomic levels and in industrialized and developed societies where attractiveness is associated with thinness (Houtkooper, 2000; Kazis & Iglesias, 2003; Levine, 2002; Neumark-Sztainer, Wall, Story, & Fulkerson, 2004).
More than 90% of the eating disorder cases occur among individuals who are at the age of 25 or below. Moreover, the rate of occurrence is 5–20 times more in women compared with men (Deering, 2001). In fact it is unclear this is the case and data from the US and UK indicates that bulimia nervosa is likely not to be increasing (Currin, Schmidxt, Treasure, & Jick, 2005; Keel, Heatherton, Dorer, Joiner, & Zalta, 2006; Van Son, van Hoeke, Bartelds, van Furth, & Hoek, 2006). Taylor et al. (1998) reported that young girls wanted to look like the women they saw on television and in popular magazines, and that they felt anxious and under strain about getting overweight. In a study conducted among 783 university students in Turkey, abnormal eating habits were determined among 13.1% of the females and 9.2% of the males (Baş, Asci, Karabudak, & Kiziltan, 2004). In another study, the rate of unbalanced eating habits was found to be 17.0% (Baş, Karabudak, Karaağaoğlu, & Ciğerim, 2006). However, studies related to eating problems and disorders are limited in Turkey. In developing countries in particular, modernization and industrialization have been implicated in changing individual subjectivity, self-determination, and instrumental agency, all of which are significant in the development of eating disorders (Littlewood, 1995).
In addition to the differences in eating behaviours, particularly deterioration in the body perception and diet habits differ according to gender. It is important that studies on undiagnosed or hidden eating disorders that progress slowly be carried out especially among the young, to be able to take preventive measures and to learn about the diseases.
The present study was conducted to answer these questions.
1.
Would the prevalence of disturbed eating attitudes and body image for females differ from that of males?
2.
Is there any correlation among anthropometric measurements and disturbed eating behaviours and body image?
