Affluent adolescent girls of Delhi: eating and weight concerns

Despite a dramatic increase in research on eating-related pathologies, gaps remain in our understanding of the factors responsible for the development and maintenance of dysfunctional attitudes and behaviour related to weight and eating among adolescents. A study was therefore conducted to compare e ating and weight concerns among underweight, normal-weight and obese afflue nt adolescent girls in New Delhi. The sample comprised fifty underweight, f ifty normal-weight and thirty obese girls, 16-18 years of age. Information was collected about their body image perception, weight concerns and eating attitudes by a well-structured questionnaire. Dietary intake was determine d by 24 h recall and a food-frequency questionnaire. Body size was adjudged by measurements of weight, height, waist, hip and mid upper arm circumfere nces, and the BMI and waist : hip ratio were determined. Of the subjects, 9 9.2 % had a gynoid pattern of fat distribution. Concerns about excess weigh t were prevalent among the adolescent girls, even among those who were norm al-weight and underweight. The level of satisfaction with body size decreas ed with increase in weight. Dieting behaviour was reported in a higher numb er of obese (76.6 %) compared with normal-weight (38 %) and underweight (14 %) girls. Of the obese girls, 43.3 % were found to be at a significantly ( P=0.00109) greater risk of developing anorexia in the future. Characteristi c dietary features of adolescence, such as missing meals, snacking and eati ng out, were observed. While the diets of most of the subjects were adequat e in Ca, thiamin, riboflavin and vitamin C, they were found to be deficient in energy, protein, Fe, niacin, vitamin A and fibre. Thus, it is important to recognize that weight concerns and dissatisfaction with body size may p ose a threat to a healthy nutritional state, and may develop into precursor s of a later eating disturbance.