Abstract
Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate disordered eating behaviours (DEBs) in different age groups in a Cypriot non-clinical population sample. Study design: Comparative cross-sectional study. Method: A total of 1716 participants from the Cyprus component of the I.Family study completed the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26). The EAT-26 score ≥20 was used to define participants at risk for DEBs. Participants were divided according to age: adolescence (12–18 years old), young adulthood (25–45 years old) and middle adulthood (46–60 years old). Results: Mean EAT-26 total scores were higher for middle adulthood men and women compared with the two younger age groups. Young adulthood women had the highest percentage of behavioural symptoms of DEBs: binge eating (35%) and laxatives/diet pills/diuretics (12%) compared with the other age groups. Men and women in young adulthood had the highest percentage of participants with EAT-26 scores ≥20. In logistic regression analysis, age group did not prove a significant predictor of DEB risk in a model adjusting for sex, body mass index and physical activity. Conclusion: DEB can present at any age and was not confined to adolescence.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 104-110 |
| Journal | Public Health |
| Volume | 162 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2018 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Funding
This work was done as part of the I. Family Study (http://www.ifamilystudy.eu/). We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the European Community within the Seventh RTD Framework Programme Contract No. 266044 .
Keywords
- Adulthood
- Bulimia and food preoccupation
- Dieting
- Eating Attitudes Test-26
- Oral control
