Effects of various factors on the eating behavior of adolescents

Researchers suggest that inadequate eating behavior (IEB) in young people can be influenced by several factors. However, the results have been controversial. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of body dissatisfaction (BD), the degree of psychological commitment to exercise (DPCE), the usual level of physical activity (LPA), the body mass index (BMI), the fat percentage and ethnicity on CAI in adolescents. The participants included 362 young men and women between 10 and 19 years of age. The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) was used to assess IEB. In addition, the Body Shape Questionnaire, the Commitment to Exercise Scale and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire were used to assess BD DPCE and LPA, respectively. Multivariate analysis and multiple regression was conducted to analyze the data. The results showed that BD, DPCE, BMI and body fat percentage significantly influenced (p<0.05) scores of the subscales of the EAT-26, both in females and males. However, the effects of variances were different between the sexes. The conclusion was that BD and BMI were the main factors that promoted significant effects in the different constructs of eating behavior assessed by the EAT-26 in both sexes.Pesquisadores sugerem que o comportamento alimentar inadequado (CAI) em jovens pode sofrer influências de diversos fatores. No entanto, os resultados têm sido controversos. Deste modo, o objetivo do presente estudo foi averiguar os efeitos de insatisfação corporal (IC), grau de comprometimento psicológico ao exercício (GCPE), nível habitual de atividade física (NAF), índice de massa corporal (IMC), percentual de gordura e etnia sobre o CAI de adolescentes. Participaram 362 jovens de ambos os sexos com idades entre 10 e 19 anos. O Eating attitudes test (EAT-26) foi utilizado para avaliar o CAI. Ademais, utilizou-se o Body shape questionnaire, a commitment exercise scale e o International physical activity questionnaire para avaliar IC, GCPE e NAF, respectivamente. Conduziu-se análise multivariada e regressão múltipla para analisar os dados. Os resultados evidenciaram que a IC, o GCPE, IMC e percentual de gordura influenciaram significativamente (p < 0,05) os escores das subescalas do EAT-26, tanto no sexo feminino, quanto no masculino. No entanto, os efeitos das variâncias foram diferentes entre os sexos. Concluiu-se que IC e o IMC foram os principais fatores que promoveram efeitos significativos nos distintos construtos do comportamento alimentar avaliados pelo EAT-26 em ambos os sexos