The natural history of disordered eating behavior and attitudes in adult women

Abstract:

This paper reports a survey of natural history of eating behavior and attitudes to weight and shape in British women attending a family planning clinic. Sixty‐two women completed a battery of standardized tests, followed by a second questionnaire 18 months later. This rescreening represents the first report of an adult sample not self‐defined as ill. The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT)‐26 total score showed stability over time (r =.68) but a/so showed a nonsignificant increase in the number of “cases.” The self‐reported weight and desired weight increased slightly but statistically over the whole sample in the follow‐up period. Analysis of group variances showed evidence of a heterogeneity of variance which was more marked than evidence of group mean effects between responders and nonresponders. The self‐reported heights were stable but self‐report of historical weight limits showed impossible inconsistencies such that any data related to these must be interpreted with caution. We recommend that future follow‐up studies report analysis of loss to follow‐up both by group means and variances, that inconsistent responses be counted and explored, and that both group mean changes over time and correlations be reported since they convey different information. Copyright © 1992 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company

Año de publicación:

1992

Keywords:

Fuente:

scopus