Community Medicine Abstracts - College of Medicine and Health ...

Project No. 139 (1998)Female Adolescent Dieting: A Healthy Practice or a Borderline MentalDisorderStudent Authors: Fatima Mohammed Al DarmakiFaculty Supervisors: Dr. A. Bener, Prof. O. Lloyd, Dr. H. Al SawadiAbstract:Objectives There is a rising number of adolescent dieting in the developed world.Dieting is a known factor for some eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa andbulimia nervosa. In the UAE there were no studies about dieting in adolescent females.This study will focus upon dieting in adolescents and its association with mentaldisorder.Methods A cross sectional study was conducted by distributing a self- administeredquestionnaire. That sample that will represent the population was a convenient onefrom female government schools. Al Ain school district give the permission todistribute the questionnaire to 6 female schools; 4 high school and 2 intermediateschools. The questionnaire contains three parts: general demographic questions,adolescent dieting pattern, and self- reporting questionnaire.Results The study sample was of 540 females who were mainly from UAE nationalityand other Arab countries. Their age range from 11 to 19 years, the majority of themwere within the age range of 14- 16-years. The results were normally distributed inthe educational level and the living conditions were from the average and aboveaverage categories. Dieting was also normally distributed where the majority of themwere with the minimal and intermediate groups. The prevalence of obesity was around16% and mental disorder were about 55% and it was highest in the 14- 16 years agegroup. There was a detectable association between dieting and body mass index,living condition, dieting family member, dieting friend, body satisfaction, friendperception and weight perception. Dieting was also associated with SRQ or the mentalassessment of the adolescent. The main information source of diet was throughmagazines, TV and the radio about79%.Conclusion Dieting remains a good practice for the female adolescent to loose weight,however a sufficient information should be provided to them in order to prevent itsmisuse.