EATING ATTITUDES AND BODY SATISFACTION AMONG ASIAN AND CAUCASIAN ADOLESCENTS

Recent evidence suggests that Asian adolescents living in the U.K. have unhealthy eating attitudes, compared with Caucasians. This study investigates whether religious affiliation (the Hindu and Muslim faiths) and gender are important factors in explaining that difference. Muslim adolescents had the most characteristic pattern of eating psychopathology, including generally less healthy eating attitudes and behaviors but more favourable scores on a scale assessing body satisfaction. The Muslim boys' eating attitudes were particularly poor relative to those of the other boys. Clinical and research work into ethnic differences in adolescents' eating attitudes should take account of the individual's religious orientation and gender.