ISSN: 2226-6348
Open access
Eating disorder commonly occurs among adolescents due to weight concern and body dissatisfaction. It is important to screen for eating disorders among school-going adolescents as it can lead to early treatment, thereby reducing serious complication affecting their education. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of disordered eating behaviour and its associated factors among school-going adolescents. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 732 school-adolescents aged between 14 and 18 years from 12 secondary schools in Terengganu. Cluster sampling was applied and a self-administered validated questionnaire was used. Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26) was used to assess disordered eating behaviour. Psychological factors were measured using validated Malay version of Strength and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQ). Prevalence of disordered eating behaviour was 30.1%. Disordered eating among adolescents was independently associated with emotional problem (p=0.014, OR 1.16, 95%CI 1.03, 1.31), peer pressure (p=0.001, OR 1.26, 95%CI 1.10, 1.44) and increasing age (p=0.006, OR 1.21, 95%CI 1.06, 1.39). Binary logistic regression showed body mass index (BMI) or any forms of substance use were not significantly associated with disordered eating among adolescents. This study showed that screening for disordered eating is important as it is associated with emotional and peer problems among school-going adolescents. Vice-versa, adolescents with emotional and peer problems have a tendency to develop disordered eating which is important to be screened to evade its effects towards their education and reduce the potential harmful complications associated with it.
Alzgool, M. (2019). Nexus between green HRM and green management towards fostering green values. Management Science Letters, 9(12), 2073-2082.
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association.
Björnsdotter, A., Enebrink, P., & Ghaderi, A. (2013). Psychometric properties of online administered parental strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ), and normative data based on combined online and paper-and-pencil administration. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 7(1), 40. doi:10.1186/1753-2000-7-40.
Chin, Y. S., Nasir, M. T., Zalilah, M. S., & Khor, G. L. (2008). Development of multi-dimensional body image scale for Malaysian female adolescents. J Nutr Res Pract, 2008, 2(2), 85-92.
Cooper, P. J., & Goodyear, I. (1997). Prevalence and significance of weight and shape concerns in girls aged 11-16 years. BritJ Psychiat, 171,542-544.
Dickey, W. C., & Blumberg, S. (2004). Revisiting the factor structure of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire: United States, 2001. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 43, 1159-1167.
Easter, M. M. (2012). “Not all my fault”: Genetics, stigma and personal responsibility for women with eating disorders. J Soc Sci& Med, 75(8), 1408-1416.
Edman, J. L., & Alayne, Y. (2004). Eating Attitudes among College Students in Malaysia: An Ethnic and Gender Comparison. Eur. Eat. Disorders Rev, 12, 190–196. https://doi.org/10.1002/erv.567
Gan, W. Y., Nasir M. T., Zalilah, M. S., & Haziz, A. S. (2011) Disordered eating behaviors, depression, anxiety and stress among Malaysian university students. College Student Journal, 45(2).
Golden, N. H., Schneider, M., Wood, C., AAP Committee on Nutrition. (2016). Preventing Obesity and Eating Disorders in Adolescents. Pediatrics, 138(3), E20161649.
Haedt-Matt, A. A., & Keel, P. K. (2011). Revisiting the affect regulation model of binge eating: A meta-analysis of studies using ecological momentary assessment. Psychological Bulletin, 137, 660–681. doi:10.1037/a0023660.
Hamilton-Wasson, D. (2011). A qualitative investigation of the relapse experiences of women with bulimia nervosa. Eating Disorders, 73–88.
Idris I.B., Barlow, J., & Dolan, A. A. (2019). Longitudinal Study of Emotional and Behavioral Problems among Malaysian School Children. Annals of Global Health, 85(1), 30.
Jeppson, J. E., Richards, P. S., Hardman R. K., & Granley, H. M. (2003). Binge and purge processes in bulimia nervosa: A qualitative investigation. Eating Disorders, 11,115–128.
Jones, J. M., Bennett, S., Olmsted, M. P., Lawson, M. L., Rodin, G. (2001). Disordered eating attitudes and behaviours in teenaged girls: a school-based study. CMAJ, 165(5),547–552.
Khalid, N., Islam, D. M. Z., & Ahmed, M. R. M. (2019). SENTREPRENEURIAL TRAINING AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE: IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE. Humanities & Social Sciences Reviews, 7(2), 590-593.
Khawaja, M., & Sweid, A. (2004). Images of body weight among young men and women: evidence from Beirut, Lebanon. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 58,352-353.
Khor, G. L., Cobiac, L., & Skrzypiec, G. (2002). Gender differences in eating behaviour and social self-concept among Malaysian university students. Mal J Nutr, 8(1), 75-80.
Leng, S. K. (2008). Factors Contributing To Disordered Eating Behaviours And At-Risk Of Eating Disorders Among Adolescent Girls In Kelantan, Malaysia. Retrieved from http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/7196.
Leong, S. H., Poh, B. K., & Ng, L. O. (2004). Study on body image perception, weight loss behaviour and practices among adolescents girls. Mal J Nutr,10(1),72.
Mahmood, M. N., Marican, S., Elias, N., & Don, Y. (2008). Pattern of Substance and Drug Misuse among Youth in Malaysia. Jurnal AntiDadah Malaysia, 1-56.
Marcotte, D., Fortin, L., Potvin, P., & Papillon, M. (2002). Gender Differences in Depressive Symptoms During Adolescence: Role of Gender Ty
In-Text Citation: (Mazubir et al., 2020)
To Cite this Article: Mazubir, N. N., Hassan, N. M., Aziz, A. A., & Suan, W. B. (2020). Disordered Eating Behaviour among School-going Adolescents: Prevalence and Associated Factors. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 9(1), 193–207.
Copyright: © 2020 The Author(s)
Published by Human Resource Management Academic Research Society (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode