Objective: Determine the relationship between the variables of self-esteem (SE), body dissatisfaction (BD), and body mass index (BMI) in a continuum of risky eating behaviors (REB) that ranges from normal behavior to the risk of eating disorders (ED), thus facilitating early detection of adolescents with ED symptomatology and the degree to which such variables have an influence.
Methods: A total of 1 982 young women aged 15-19 were selected through stratified random sampling. Self-esteem (Pope, McHale, and Craighead scale), body dissatisfaction (Stunkard's Figure Rating Scale), and body mass index were measured. A brief REB questionnaire was administered. Three categories of REB were defined: no risk, moderate risk, and high risk. A multiple regression analysis was performed.
Results: A direct relationship was found between risk of REB and BD, with significant differences between the groups (P < 0.001): no risk (83.6% of sample), 54.1% had BD; moderate risk (11.9% of sample), 84.8% had BD; and high risk (4.5% of sample), 89.9% had BD. There were significant differences in SE and BMI only between the group with no risk and each of the risk groups. Self-esteem played a role in predicting REB in all the regression models evaluated, whereas BMI did not.
Conclusions: It is essential to identify adolescents at moderate risk of REB who have prodromic features of ED such as low SE and BD. When these features occur simultaneously, they can mediate a negative effect of BMI on REB.