Body image and restrictive eating behavior in adolescents

Background The progressive increase in eating disorders suggests the need to begin health education in early childhood. However, the prevention of eating disorders has been a complicated and, perhaps for this reason, elusive goal for researchers. Restrictive behavior and body image distortion are two basic criteria In the diagnosis of eating disorders. Objective The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between appearance schema and restrictive behavior such as preoccupation with weight and dieting in a random sample of 373 adolescents. Methods The instruments: used were the Appearance Schemas inventory (ASI) and the Restraint Scale (RS). Statistical analysis included Pearson's correlation coefficient, Student's t-test, and analysis of variance with the post hoc Tukey contrast test. Results Body image and restrictive behavior scores were positively correlated (p < 0.0001). Body image distortions were significantly greater in younger adolescents and in those with a higher RS score (i.e. those involved in following restrictive diets and who experienced frequent weight fluctuations) than in older adolescents and in those with a lower RS score. Conclusions The results of this study suggest the importance of working in primary prevention and of concentrating efforts on the identification and subsequent modification of body image distortions in children and adolescents.