Abstract
The longitudinal stability of eating problems and their relationships to risk factors were investigated in a representative population sample of 623 Norwegian girls aged 13–14 followed over 7 years (3 time points). Three eating problem symptoms were measured: Restriction, Bulimia-food preoccupation, and Diet, all taken from the12-item Eating Attitudes Test. The aim of the study was to investigate the stability of these eating problem symptoms both as separate components (as opposed to total symptom load) as well as from a syndrome perspective. Over 7 years, dieting behavior showed the highest correlational stability (0.32). Regarding stable eating problem syndromes, at all 3 time points, 1 group of girls with generalized eating problems was found, characterized by simultaneously pronounced bulimic tendencies and dieting. However, we did not establish individual stability across 7 years for this syndrome group. Through development, eating problem symptoms were associated with characteristic risk factors. Similarities and differences between findings regarding eating problems and eating disorders are discussed.
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Juliska Kansi Ph.D. Research interests include the self-concept and disordered eating.
Lars Wichstrøm Professor, Department of Psychology, Trondheim University of Science and Technology, N-7034 Trondheim, Norway. Major research interests include youth psychology and developmental psychopathology.
Lars R. Bergman Professor, Head for the division of Personality, Social, and Developmental Psychology at the Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden. Main research interests are developmental psychology and behavioral science research methodology, especially methods for studying development.
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Kansi, J., Wichstrøm, L. & Bergman, L.R. Eating Problems and Their Risk Factors: A 7-Year Longitudinal Study of a Population Sample of Norwegian Adolescent Girls. J Youth Adolescence 34, 521–531 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-005-8935-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-005-8935-3