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Eating Attitudes and Dieting Behavior Among Religious Subgroups of Israeli-Arab Adolescent Females

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Abstract

Objectives The aim of the study was to compare the eating attitudes and behaviors, including weight concerns and dieting behavior, among three religious subgroups (Moslems, Druze, and Christians) and three age subgroups (12–13, 14–15, and 16–18 years old) of Israeli-Arab adolescent females. Methods The sample consisted of 1141 Israeli-Arab adolescent females, including 926 (81.2%) Moslem, 128 (11.2%) Christian, and 87 (7.6%) Druze schoolgirls in the seventh to twelfth grades. Participants were assessed using the EAT–26 questionnaire. Results The results showed that 75% of the students had a negative EAT-26 score (>20) and that 25% of the students had a positive EAT-26 score (<20). No significant differences were found in total scores, subscale scores, or scores above 20 between the age subgroups or the religious subgroups. The results demonstrated a high prevalence of disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors among Israeli-Arab adolescent schoolgirls. Discussion Higher prevalence of disturbed eating attitudes found among Israeli-Arab schoolgirls as compared to their Jewish counterparts. Although our sample is a communal based, there still remains an open question as to why the desired “slenderness culture” evident in the results is not reflected in the number of ED clinic referrals, among clinical population. These discrepancies were discussed in light of ethnicity-specific factors that may influence the perceived severity of eating disorders and the receptiveness of primary practitioners to address them.

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Acknowledgment

We would like to acknowledge and thank Galia Golan—Sprinzak for her valuable assistance and Sharon Woodrow for her editing and valuable comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Eating Disorders Clinic, Psychiatric Division, Rambam Medical Center, P.O. Box 9602, Haifa, 31096, Israel

    Yael Latzer

  2. School of Social Work, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel

    Yael Latzer & Faisal Azaiza

  3. Behavioral Sciences, Emek Yezreel College, Emek Yezreel, Israel

    Orna Tzischinsky

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  1. Yael Latzer
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Latzer, Y., Azaiza, F. & Tzischinsky, O. Eating Attitudes and Dieting Behavior Among Religious Subgroups of Israeli-Arab Adolescent Females. J Relig Health 48, 189–199 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-008-9189-7

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