A Population-Based Study of Eating Disorders in Young Persons in Malta: Prevalence in Males Nearly Equals that in Females

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of eating disorders and attitudes to food and eating for youths between 10 and 16 years of age, in order to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders in young people through empirical research in a previously unexamined area. Methods: The tool selected for this population-based study was the ChEAT, i.e. the Children’s Eating Attitudes Test. A representative cohort of 400, randomly sampled, young people aged 10-16, were asked all 26 questions of the ChEAT via telephone, while their parents/guardians were asked socio-demographic questions, Results: 5.5% (2.25% M, 3.25% F) of the cohort scored at or above the cut-off of 20, indicating the presence of an eating disorder. No significant associations were found between disordered eating and socio-demographic data. Conclusions: Findings indicate that males are catching up to females in eating disorder diagnoses. A male slightly higher mean ChEAT ≥20 could denote that disordered eating could be more acute for young men who are between 10 to 16 years old than it is for young women aged 10 to 16. The lack of significant association between the disordered eating and socio-demographic data could be a factor of the ages under examination in this study, and possibly these associations could arise at later ages.