Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors toward Eating Disorders among Adolescents in Italy

Francesco Napolitano, Francesco Bencivenga, Erika Pompili and Italo Francesco Angelillo
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Francesco Napolitano: Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni, 5, 80138 Naples, Italy
Francesco Bencivenga: Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni, 5, 80138 Naples, Italy
Erika Pompili: Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni, 5, 80138 Naples, Italy
Italo Francesco Angelillo: Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni, 5, 80138 Naples, Italy

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 8, 1-11

Abstract: The objectives of this survey were to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors toward eating disorders among adolescents in Italy. The survey was undertaken between May and June 2017 among a random sample of 420 adolescents aged 14–20 years. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire. Only 22.8% correctly knew both the definition of anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Female, overweight or obese individuals, and who had at least one parent with a college degree or higher level of education were more likely to have this knowledge. More than one third (38.8%) had a fear of getting fat. Female, overweight or obese individuals, who did not know the definition of anorexia and bulimia nervosa, who avoided eating when they were hungry, and who always and usually were engaged in dieting behavior were more likely to have a fear of getting fat. Only 10.1% and 11.9% always and usually were engaged in dieting behavior, and 40.8% never did so. Respondents who usually/always had a strong desire to be thinner and who had a fear of getting fat were more likely to be engaged in dieting behavior. There is an urgent need to inform Italian adolescents about eating disorders, and healthcare workers may play a crucial role in distributing eating disorder-related knowledge.

Keywords: adolescents; behaviors; cross-sectional survey; eating disorders; knowledge; logistic regression analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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