Adolescent Girls Diet

Introduction: In the western culture adolescent females often have wrong attitudes and behaviors about eating, while research confirmed increased prevalence and decreased age of first symptoms of eating disorders. Adolescent females pass through significant physical and hormonal changes, which often results with increased awareness and distorted perception of their„body- image". Goal: Our objective was to establish the prevalence of eating disorders among adolescent females in Banja Luka. Method: The sample comprised 269 adolescent females (age 16), in the first grade of secondary schools in Banja Luka. The questionnaire used consisted of 25 questions for measuring eating disorders. The questionnaire was answered by 241 out of the total of 269 (89.6 %) in the first grade of four secondary schools in Banja Luka included in the research . The obtained data was statistically processed using the statistical software EPI INFO 2002, with statistical significance of 0.05. Results were presented in tables and charts. Results: Body Mass Index (BMI) below 18.5 was recorded in 9.5 % of respondents. More than half wanted to be thinner, while 1/5 occasionally or regularly went on a slimming diet. The difference was statistically significant in larger number in girls attending the Agriculture school in opposite to the girls from secondary Medical school (V=239, T=17.8, p<0.05). About 46.9% of all respondents were sometimes or often terrified about being overweight and about 2/3 of respondents were occasionally or frequently dissatisfied with their figure. Conclusion: There is a high level of dissatisfaction and concern about physical appearance among adolescent females. Unrealistic perception of "body-image" may bring different health-damaging risks.