Eating disorders on rise among schoolgirls: study
A new study suggests a disturbingly large number of adolescent girls are on a path that could lead them to eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia.
Eating habits of schoolgirls in Ontario were examined in the study, and 27 per cent of them had what the study's authors called "disordered eating attitudes and behaviours."
Those behaviours are seen as precursors to severe eating disorders.
- BACKGROUNDER: Eating Disorders
"What's most striking is the frequency of the behaviours that we're seeing," said Gary Rodin, one of five researchers who worked on the study. He said the group was surprised by how common the behaviours are and how early they appear.
The study looked at the habits of 1,739 girls aged 12 to 18, and found that some of the most disturbing behaviours were beginning at earlier ages.
"We're seeing that actually seven per cent of the girls from ages 12 to 14 admitted to self-induced vomiting as a purging method to lose weight," said Jennifer Jones, the lead researcher on the project.
Overall, the disturbing behaviours were seen to increase throughout adolescence.
Among the study's findings were:
- 23 per cent reported currently dieting to lose weight
- 15 per cent reported binge-eating
- 8.2 per cent reported self-induced vomiting
- 2.4 per cent reported using diet pills
- misuse of laxatives or diuretics was uncommon
- dieting was associated with increased risk of bingeing and purging