Abstract

Background: A growing number of individuals are showing inappropriate eating behaviors and attitudes without having severe forms. Early and prompt recognition of mild forms can prevent the severe ones.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence and associated factors of disordered eating attitudes among secondary schoolgirls in Al-Iskan sector, Makkah Al-Mukarramah, Saudi Arabia.

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study design was adopted among a representative random sample of female secondary school students in Al-Iskan sector, Makkah Al-Mukarramah, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire, the Arabic version of Eating Attitude Test–26 (EAT-26), was used. Anthropometric measurements of weight and height for students were taken.

Results: The study included 180 female secondary school students. Their age ranged between 15 and 19 years with a mean of 16.83 and standard deviation of 0.94 years. Majority of them were Saudi (95.6%). Mean EAT-26 score for participants was 16.01±8.88. More than a quarter (26.1%) of adolescent girls scored 20 or above, which is the cutoff point of EAT-26, indicating negative eating attitudes. Almost two-thirds of them (61.7%) were normal weight whereas 18.9% of them were underweight. Overweight and obesity were observed among 11.7% and 7.8% of them, respectively. The highest rate of eating disorder (ED) was reported among underweight students (29.4%) whereas the lowest rate was reported among obese students (7.1%). However, the association between student’s body mass index and ED was not statistically significant (p = 0.405). EDs are more prevalent in females who believe that others are comparing them with slimmer people; media has an impact on their efforts toward slimness and world fashion and style has a role on their trial to lose weight.

Conclusion: The high prevalence of disordered eating attitudes among schoolgirls in Al-Iskan sector in Makkah Al-Mukarramah is of great concern. It indicated that adolescent girls in this study had experience weight and shape concerns similar to those in Western populations.

Key words: Eating disorder, schoolgirls, Eating Attitude Test–26, Saudi Arabia