Risk factors of altered eating behaviors in Spanish and Chilean adolescents

The aim of the study was to compare individual, family, and cultural risk factors of eating disturbance in Spanish and Chilean adolescents. The sample comprised 172 Spanish and 106 Chilean adolescents of both genders, aged from 12 to 14 years, who participated in a cross section descriptive study. Body Mass Index, diet, internalization of body shape model (“Cuestionario de Influencias del modelo estético corporal”), eating attitudes (Eating Attitudes Test) and body satisfaction (“Cuestionario de imagen corporal”), were evaluated taking into account country and gender. No differences are observed on internalization of the body shape model, eating attitudes and eating disturbance risk across countries, whereas body satisfaction (p< .01) and making diet (p= .03) are higher in the Chilean sample. No differences are found on eating attitudes and diet level across genders, but girls show more internalization of the body shape model (p< .05) and less body satisfaction (p= .02). These results suggest that the adolescents evaluated share sociocultural influences towards thinness and eating attitudes oriented the weight control.