Extreme Dieting Behaviors in Early Adolescence

Abstract

A slide show with audio taped narration of two case stories involving eating disorders was presented to 4th-, 5th- and 6th-grade school children. Students completed a series of questions about their eating behaviors and compared their eating to that of the case subjects, who served as frames of reference for such constructs as "binging. " Between 3% and 4% of girls reported self-induced vomiting and/or secretly throwing away food to avoid gaining weight. The case story method seems to provide a means for students to qualitatively assess their eating behavior relative to an external frame of reference. Teachers and other professionals working with early adolescents should be aware that dieting behaviors are clearly emerging in elementary school. The methodology used in the present study has utility not only for screening persons who may be at risk for eating disorders, but also for psycho educational programs in health and nutrition.