Relationship between Eating attitude and Body Image or Dietary Intake in Japanese Adolescent Girls

Review for Establishment of the Effective Education Program

Abstract

　The purpose of this study is to find factors for developing the effective education program in adolescent girls by investigating the relationship of the eating attitude, body image and the dietary intake. The Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT-26) and the silhouette type of Stunkard were used to examine the eating attitude and body image. And, the self-administered diets history questionnaire (DHQ) was used to know dietary intake. According to the results of the EAT-26, we divided the subjects into the three groups of normal group (EAT-26 score≦9), intermediate group (10≦EAT-26 score≦19) and abnormal group (EAT-26 score≧20). Then, anthrodometric, body image and dietary intake were compared among the three groups, respectively. There was no significant difference in the body size among the three groups. However, the abnormal group significantly wished to become thinner figure than other groups. As to the dietary intake, the abnormal group took significantly more amount of confectionery and saturated fatty acid than other groups. It was concluded that the necessary factors for the effective education in the adolescent girls are the knowledge of the nutrition, the adequate body image and the evaluation of their eating attitude that leads to concrete guidance for the correction of eating behavior.