EATING DISORDERS

The prevalence rate of eating disorders in adolescents ranged from 11-28%.More adolescents girls engaged in disordered eating behaviors compared to adolescent’s boys. Risk of disordered eating attitude was twice as high among females as in males. Dysfunctional eating behaviors was higher in obese than in normal weight adolescent. Risk of disordered eating attitude among obese adolescents was two to times higher than that of non-obese, in both genders. Healthy body composition and high levels of physical fitness were found to be the protective factors for eating disorders in young adults. Eating disorders were associated with more emotional and peer problemsProblematic profiles of family functioning exhibiting lower levels of cohesion and flexibility and higher scores on the sub dimensions of disengagement, enmeshment, rigidity, and chaotic characteristics were found to be the risk factors of eating disorders in adolescents. Bodily shame was found to be a significant factor related to ED risk in obese adolescents. Group based and parent group intervention programmes had positive benefit in terms of eating disorder symptom reductions and BMI reduction especially in females.