U of M Research Finds Stressful Life Events May Lead to Disordered-Eating Behaviors in Teens

MINNEAPOLIS/ST.PAUL (Nov. 24, 2008) – Young adults and older adolescents facing stressful life events are far more likely to engage in disordered-eating behaviors, according to researchers at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. As a result, researchers suggest health care providers, school counselors, and others who work with adolescents screen for disordered-eating behavior when an adolescent reports experiencing a stressful life event.

“Stressful life events, such as termination of a long-term personal relationship or excessive credit card debt, are associated with higher levels of depression and anxiety,” said Katie Loth, M.P.H., R.D., lead author of this Project Eating Among Teens (EAT) study. “It is possible that individuals turn to disordered-eating behaviors to assist them in coping with the negative feelings that accompany stressful life events.”

Approximately 32 percent of females who reported having three or more stressful life events used extreme weight control behaviors, such as self-induced vomiting or taking diet pills, compared with 13.4 percent of females who had no stressful life events. Roughly 20 percent of males who reported having three or more stressful life events also reported engaging in extreme weight control behaviors, an eightfold increase from those who reported suffering from no events. Examples of stressful life events include being involved in a serious automobile accident or parents filing for a divorce or separation.

The Project EAT study was designed to build a greater understanding of the socio-environmental, personal, and behavioral factors associated with diet and weight-related behaviors during adolescence so more effective nutrition interventions can be developed. Researchers analyzed data from 1,708 teens who were surveyed in their high school classrooms from 1998-1999, and again by mail from 2003-2004. This study will be published in the November (Volume 42, Number 5) issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health.

The Academic Health Center is home to the University of Minnesota’s six health professional schools and colleges as well as several health-related centers and institutes. Founded in 1851, the University is one of the oldest and largest land grant institutions in the country. The AHC prepares the new health professionals who improve the health of communities, discover and deliver new treatments and cures, and strengthen the health economy.

Contact:        
Emily Jensen, Academic Health Center, 612-624-9163, jense888@umn.edu
Laura Stroup, Academic Health Center, 612-625-4680, stro0481@umn.edu