Problem eating attitudes and behaviors in young children

Objective: The factor structure of the Children's Eating Attitudes Test (Ch EAT) and the predictors of problem eating were examined in young boys and g irls. Methods: Two hundred and twenty eight children from Grades 2 and 4 co mpleted questionnaires which examined problem eating attitudes and behavior s, body image, and self-concepts. Results: Four factors were found for girl s and boys. The girls' four factors, Dieting, Food Preoccupation, Social Pr essure to Eat, and Restricting and Purging, corresponded closely to previou s studies with older girls and women. Four different factors were found for the boys, Global Problems, Dieting versus Purging, Dieting and Food Preocc upation, and Emotional Eating. However, dieting behaviors in both girls and boys were predicted by poorer body image and in boys emotional concerns ab out eating were predicted by poorer body image and lower self-concepts. Dis cussion: There is still relatively little research that has examined proble m eating attitudes and behaviors of boys and men. As boys tend to report in frequent dieting, we may need to focus more on the emotional concerns about eating and becoming overweight as a potential indicator of eating problems in boys. (C) 1999 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.