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Eating attitudes in english secondary school students: Influences of ethnicity, gender, mood, and social class
Author(s) -
Thomas Catherine L.,
James Anthony C.,
Bachmann Max O.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/eat.10000
Subject(s) - ethnic group , psychology , social class , mood , class (philosophy) , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , social psychology , sociology , anthropology , political science , law , artificial intelligence , computer science
Objective To examine the effects of ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic position, self‐esteem, and emotion on eating attitudes in adolescents. Method Questionnaire survey of 722 students in two English schools, using Eating Attitude Test‐26 (EAT), Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale, and Angold vMood and Feeling instruments. Results EAT scores were significantly higher for Asians and Muslims and for mixed‐race subjects than for White or African Caribbean subjects ( p = .003). Adjusted odds ratios for having a very high EAT score (>20) were 2.4 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0–6.0) in Asians and Muslims and 2.9 (95% CI 1.3–18.6) in mixed‐race subjects, compared with White subjects. Having only one parent employed was also independently associated with a very high EAT score, compared with having both parents employed. Similar associations were found for a moderately high EAT score (>10) and for a combination of low self‐esteem and high EAT score. Low self‐esteem and depressed mood were independently associated with a high EAT score. Discussion Ethnicity, socioeconomic position, self‐esteem, and depression, but not gender, were independently associated with eating attitudes. Effects of cultural and socioeconomic stresses on eating disorders may be mediated through depressed mood and low self‐esteem. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 31: 92–96, 2002.