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ABSTRACT
This study examined the eating attitudes and psychological characteristics of Turkish late adolescents. Seven hundred eighty-three university students were administered the Eating Attitudes Test, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Social Physique Anxiety Scale. More than one in ten (9.2% of the males and 13.1% of the females) had abnormal eating attitude scores. Chi-square analysis revealed that there were no significant differences in the prevalance of abnormal eating behaviors based on gender. Analysis of covariance indicated that participants who had disturbed eating attitudes had lower self-esteem, higher social physique anxiety, and higher trait anxiety than those who had normal eating attitudes. It was concluded that the prevalence of disturbed eating attitudes was high among these Turkish late adolescents, and that disturbed eating attitudes were related to several psychological characteristics.
During adolescence, attitude toward personal appearance plays an important role in self-esteem. Many adolescents become preoccupied with their body weight and attempt to achieve the ideal physique because of social and cultural norms, reinforced by media messages emphasizing a thin and physically fit body. This preoccupation influences their dieting and eating behaviors (Rus-Makaovec & Tomori, 2000; Hausenblas & Mack, 1999).
There has been a significant increase in the incidence of eating disorders in the past twenty years. Nattiv and Lynch (1994) estimated that 1-3% of the general Western female population meet formal criteria for disordered eating, with higher prevalence among adolescent and young adult women. It has been estimated that 15% or more of college women meet diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa (Borgen & Corbin, 1987), and the prevalence of anorexia nervosa has been reported at 0.1-4% and bulimia at 18-20% of school-aged females (Anstine & Grinenko, 2000).
Eating disorders in general, and anorexia and bulimia nervosa in particular, are complex problems, involving behavioral, cognitive, and emotional issues (Bussolotti, Fernandez-Aranda, Solano, Jimenez-Murcia, Turon, & Vallejo, 2002). For example, Fisher, Schneider, Pegler, and Napolitano (1991) studied suburban female high school students and found strong intercorrelations among abnormal eating attitudes, low self-esteem, high anxiety, and increased weight concerns. In addition, Spink (1992) found a relationship between self-presentational concern (i.e., social physique anxiety) and eating disorder correlates. Bulik, Beidel, Duchmann, Welltzin, and Kaye (cited in Hausenblas & Mack, 1999) suggested that eating disordered...