Risk factors for eating disturbance in adolescent girls with dysregulation of the menstrual cycle

Summary. The article presents the results of eating behavior and personality traits study in a group of adolescent girls who consulted a gynecologist in connection with menstrual irregularities.The aim of the study was to identify risk factors for eating disturbance in adolescent girls with menstrual dysregulation.Materials and methods: were examined 75 adolescent girls with various disorders of the menstrual cycle (amenorrhea, opsooligomenorrhea, menorrhagia) and 25 girls of the control group. The characteristic features of eating disorders, the degree of dissatisfaction with one’s appearance, the level of self-esteem, various aspects of self-attitude, the severity of perfectionism and the level of anxiety were assessed. The main factors that determine the relationship between eating behavior and personal characteristics were identified using factor analysis. Risk factors for the development of the main symptoms of eating disorders (drive for thinness and bulimia) in adolescent girls were assessed using regression analysis.Results. It was found that girls with menstrual irregularities are more prone to episodes of overeating and the use of cleansing procedures, they have lower self-esteem and a more negative self-attitude. There were no significant differences in the girls’ assessment of their body image depending on the presence or absence of menstrual irregularities, as well as on the type of disturbances. This assessment in all cases had a tendency to negative perception of varying severity. Factor analysis of indicators of eating disturbances and personality traits in the study groups showed that eating disturbances in girls are closely associated with a negative attitude towards their bodies and with indicators of anxiety. Regression analysis identified indicators affecting drive for thinness and bulimic behavior that differed between groups.Conclusion. Eating behavior in adolescent girls is mediated through various psychological characteristics, including those associated with the features of the menstrual cycle.

Obesity and Eating Disturbance: the Role of TFEQ Restraint and Disinhibition

Purpose of Review Literature from the past five years exploring roles of Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ) Restraint and Disinhibition in relation to adult obesity and eating disturbance (ED) was reviewed. Recent Findings Restraint has a mixed impact on weight regulation, diet quality, and vulnerability to ED, where it is related detrimentally to weight regulation, diet, and psychopathology, yet can serve as a protective factor. The impact of Disinhibition is potently related to increased obesity, poorer diet, hedonically driven food choices, and a higher susceptibility to ED. Summary Restraint and Disinhibition have distinct influences on obesity and ED and should be targeted differently in interventions. Further work is required to elucidate the mechanisms underlying TFEQ eating behavior traits.

The Role of Body Awareness and Mindfulness in the Relationship Between Exercise and Eating Behavior

This study examined the potential mediating roles of mindfulness and body awareness in the relationship between exercise and eating behavior. Female exercisers (N = 159) recruited from fitness centers, yoga centers, and the community completed a questionnaire incorporating measures of exercise behavior, body awareness, trait mindfulness, mindful eating, dietary intake, and disordered eating symptoms. Participation in yoga was associated with significantly lower disordered eating (mediated by body awareness), whereas the amount of time spent participating in cardio-based exercise was associated with greater eating disturbance. The relationships between amount of exercise and actual food intake were not mediated by trait mindfulness or body awareness. The differential findings for dietary intake and disordered eating indicate that the body awareness cultivated in different forms of exercise may be more beneficial for clinical populations or those at risk for eating disorders than for modifying actual dietary intake in the general population.