Weight concerns and dieting among 8 to 12-year-old children

According to a recent study [1] it could be shown that more than one third of female high school students and more than 20% of male students in the age of 14 to 18 years indicated an impaired eating behaviour, expressed as a medium or high risk to develop eating disorders based upon the standardized Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) [2]. The current study tested the prevalence of weight concerns and dieting as an indicator of problematic eating behaviour among younger children. 230 Thuringian female and male students in the 3(rd) and 4(th) year (between 8 and 12-years-old) as well as their parents were investigated using standardized and modified instruments. Weight and height were measured directly to determine the Body Mass Index (BMI) that was put into relation to some factors of potential influence such as parents, peers, media and eating behaviours. It could be shown that 42% of the boys and 53% of the girls preferred a thin ideal body image; 32% of the children revealing normal weight expressed the wish to be thinner. 18% of the boys and 19% of the girls tried to lose weight at the time of the investigation. Dieting was influenced by the perceived (not actual) dieting behaviour of the parents. The BMI significantly predicted weight concerns: In total, 85% of the overweight children but also 17% of the children with normal weight were convinced to be overweight. The girls' eating behaviour was mostly influenced by the peers, the boys' behaviour by criticism of the parents. Generally, a significant influence of the media could be demonstrated.