Influence of teenager habits on self-image and risk of eating disorders

Objetive: To evaluate familiar environment and habits of teenager population from our area to detect factors associated with alterations of self-image or an increased risk of presenting an eating disorder.

Methods: One hundred and fifty-eight teenagers from first to second course of ESO (Obligatory Secondary Education) were interviewed collecting information about gender, age, family and social environment, time of screens viewing and contents, time of sport practicing, time of reading and contents, self-image, Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) and anthropometry.

Results: The logistic regression showed a statistically significant association between self-image and time of sport practicing (B = 0.11; p = 0.047), having brothers (B =-1.4; p = 0.019), total punctuation on EAT-26 (B =-0.06; p = 0.005) and Body Mass Index (B =-0.1; p = 0.031).

Conclusions: Promotion of sport practicing and healthy ideas about body image could improve teenager self-image and help to prevent the development of eating disorders.