[in Japanese]

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The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship with abnormal eating behavior to Body mass index (BMI), a drive for thinness and body-image dissatisfaction in female university students. The subjects were 698 female students (mean age : 20.02±2.43 years). Measures included demographic data, Body-Image Scale (BIS), and Eating Attitude Tests-26 (EAT-26). According to the classification by BMI, 130 subjects (18.9%) were thin, 534 subjects (77.5%) were normal and 25 subjects (3.6%) were obese. There were some subjects with abnormal eating behavior (over 20 in EAT-26 score) in every sub group. Based on the factor analysis, six factors were extracted, which included the food-intake control, the obsession with food, the fear of obesity, the evaluation to food-intake and body by others, vomiting behavior and the food-intake patterns. The results of t-test on EAT-26 factor scores among BMI subgroups indicated that obese group had higher scores on the food-intake control, the obsession with food and the fear of obesity. Based on the results of t-test on EAT-26 factor scores among subgroups by BIS, the high BIS subgroup had higher scores of the food-intake control, the obsession with food, the fear of obesity and vomiting behavior. These findings suggest the further studies should include the psychological factors of abnormal eating behavior such as body-image dissatisfaction.

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The aim of this research was to explore differences in mentality and attitude among postpartum women of different age groups. We assessed the development of their motherhood using Hanazawa's Motherhood Assessment Scale (MAS), their parental affection using Hanazawa's To-Child Affection Assessment Scale (TCAAS), the presence of maternity blues (MB) using the self-administered Maternity Blues Questionnaire, and the presence of postpartum depression the self-scored Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. In assessment of the MAS, younger women tended to score higher for the Positive Attitude domain than older women before childbirth ; however, all women, both young and old, scored lower after childbirth, resulting in a nearly complete loss of differences among the age groups. In assessment of the TCAAS, primiparous women tended to score higher for the Approach domain than multiparous women, and the scores tended to increase after childbirth in all groups. In all age groups, their maternal attachment toward their child became stronger after childbirth, while their anxiety about child rearing, which was vague before childbirth, also became even stronger after they had their baby beside them. Younger women were found to be susceptible to MB or postpartum depression. Young age was considered to be a risk factor for MB and postpartum depression, and young mothers should be cared for continuously before and after childbirth.

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