Administered instruments measuring adolescents' dress concerns, body satisfaction, and eating behaviors to 751 adolescent girls. Items measuring clothing interests, body satisfaction, and eating behaviors were conceptually independent; clothing factors showed little or no correlation with either body satisfaction or eating factors. (Author/NB)

Examined disordered eating habits and feelings of psychosocial constraint using a questionnaire completed by 2,004 high school students. Disordered eating was found in two percent of all subjects. Dieting and compulsive eating were both related to feelings of failure. (JAC)

Surveyed 389 adolescents regarding their compliance with six U. S. Dietary Guidelines. Results indicated highest compliance on "eat a variety of foods" and "eat foods with adequate starch and fiber." Lowest compliance on "reduce sugar intake" and "reduce fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol intake." Females reported lower compliance to "maintain…

Examines the perceptions of late adolescents regarding their caregivers' feeding styles and practices. Results, based on 546 subjects (ages 18 to 23 years), revealed two types of feeding styles: adult-controlled and cooperative. Positive correlations emerged between subjects' perceived past and future feeding practices, suggesting the generational…

Investigated effect of self-concept on quality of diets of 160 adolescent girls by obtaining scores for self-concept and fat area values. Fat area values were correlated negatively with Physical Self scores. Significant predictors of mean dietary adequacy ratio values below 80 percent were Total Conflict, Moral-Ethical Self, Family Self, Identity,…

Comparison of high school female athletes (n=100) and nonathletes (N=112) revealed that athletes were more likely than nonathletes to possess certain behavioral and psychological correlates of eating disorders. There were few differences among various sport teams. Gender-role orientation was generally not critically variable. (Author/NB)

Early sexual maturation is associated with many high-risk behaviors and a prediction was made that food consumption may contribute to early onset of puberty. A comparison was made between the eating habits of several generations of African-American women. Girls today were found to consume more calcium, grains, and meat then older women did in…

Surveyed undergraduate college students (N=212) near completion of an introductory nutrition course to identify their patterns of food usage, changes in food habits, and previous nutrition background. Found one-half increased use of milk/milk products and one-half decreased fat and sugar. Cluster analysis indicated students could not be…

Examined eating concerns on two college campuses with a Christian world view and two nonsectarian campuses. Found that eating concerns were significantly more frequent among women than men and that relative incidence of overweight in four sections of the country appeared more related to level of concern on each campus than presence or absence of…

Described is a group weight control project with severely obese adolescent girls in a medical setting. Behavior modification principles were utilized with peer group interaction. Significant others had separate group meetings. Small amounts of weight loss were recorded. Dropouts continued to have a net gain. (Author/KC)

Examined cheerleaders' desire for thinness in relationship to disordered eating and weight control behaviors. A Desire for Thinness Scale and selected scales from three eating disorder instruments were administered to 751 high school cheerleaders. Cheerleaders who expressed a strong desire for thinness had significantly higher scores on seven of…

Discussed the problems girls have in disengaging themselves from their parents as psychological dependency gives way to individual growth and, sometimes, to overeating. (RK)

Adolescent males (N=568) responded to a questionnaire examining their food supplement usage, types of food supplements consumed, reasons for use and non-use, relationship of use to concern for health, and demographic and external factors influencing supplement use. Presents factors related to food supplement usage. (RC)

Results indicated that black females ingested more energy, protein, calcium, and iron than did white females. Significant percentages of both black and white females' intakes of energy, calcium, and iron fell below recommended allowances, suggesting that most of those surveyed possessed poor prepregnancy nutritional status. (RJM)

Comparison of childhood and adolescent obesity and anorexia nervosa reveals etiological similarities between the two conditions, particularly regarding family interactional patterns. In both cases, family enmeshment and overprotectiveness resulted in a poor sense of identity and effectiveness. Some children, while compliant and dependent in…