Factors Associated with Abnormal Eating Attitudes among Greek Adolescents

Abstract 

Objective

To estimate the prevalence of abnormal eating attitudes among Greek adolescents and identify possible risk factors associated with these attitudes.

Design

Cross-sectional, school-based study.

Setting

Six randomly selected schools in Patras, southern Greece.

Participants

The study population consisted of 540 Greek students aged 13-18 years, and the response rate was 97%.

Main Outcome Measure

The dependent variable was scores on the Eating Attitudes Test-26, with scores ≥ 20 indicating abnormal eating attitudes.

Analysis

Bivariate analysis included independent Student t test, chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied for the identification of the predictive factors, which were associated independently with abnormal eating attitudes. A 2-sided P value of less than .05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

The prevalence of abnormal eating attitudes was 16.7%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that females, urban residents, and those with a body mass index outside normal range, a perception of being overweight, body dissatisfaction, and a family member on a diet were independently related to abnormal eating attitudes.

Conclusions and Implications

The results indicate that a proportion of Greek adolescents report abnormal eating attitudes and suggest that multiple factors contribute to the development of these attitudes. These findings are useful for further research into this topic and would be valuable in designing preventive interventions.

Key Words: Greek adolescents, eating attitudes, risk factors, EAT-26, eating disorder