Eating concerns and media influences in an Irish adolescent context

✍ Scribed by Fiona McNicholas; Alma Lydon; Ruth Lennon; Barbara Dooley

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 124 KB
• Volume: 17
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1072-4133
• DOI: 10.1002/erv.916

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Objective

EPICA is the first large‐scale Irish study of a school‐going population examining the impact of media influences on eating attitudes.

Method

Students were screened using the EAT‐26, EDI‐III and a study‐specific questionnaire. A sub‐sample of parents' views was included.

Results

Three thousand and thirty‐one students (mean age 14.74) and 56 parents enrolled. The majority (71.4%) of adolescents felt adversely affected by media portrayal of body weight and shape, with more than a quarter (25.6%) believing it to be ‘far too thin’. A significant correlation between media impact and high EAT scores (χ^2^ = 450.78, df = 2, p < 0.05) and EDI‐III scores (χ^2^ = 387.51, df = 4, p < 0.05) was demonstrated. Parents also view media portrayal as too thin (94.7%), less than half are adversely affected by it (49.2%) but the majority (71.9%) believe their children to be.

Conclusion

Media portrayal of body weight and shape is correlated with eating psychopathology and may affect adolescents more than adults. School psycho‐educational programmes and media policies are urgently needed to minimise any detrimental effect. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.