Adolescence is a period of significant physical, emotional and intellectual changes, as well as changes in social roles, relations and expectations. Adolescent females, often preoccupied with physical appearance, express discontent with their figure, body weight and want to lose weight.

Our objective was to inquire eating attitudes among adolescent females.

Sample was consisted of adolescent females, age of 16 - 17, first grade Economic and Medical Secondary School pupils. Survey questionnaire is self-esteem scale of eating disorders designed by the author. Response rate was 389 out of 419 (92.8%).

Body Mass Index (BMI) less than 18.5 has 8.7 % female adolescents. More than half want to be thinner, while 1/3 of adolescents find themselves whether thin or obese. Forty-seven percent (47%) of adolescents exercise sometimes, 15.4% exercise often while 1/5 goes on a diet sometimes or regularly. About 43% adolescents are sometimes or often terrified about being overweight, while 60% sometimes or often lose weight. About 2/3 adolescents are not satisfied with figure. One-half adolescents are terrified with increasing in weight.

Statistically significant number in both schools does not have control in eating (p<0.5).

There is high level of discontent and dissatisfaction with figure among adolescent females.

This research indicate necessary education of adolescents to help them in accepting healthier nutrition and lifestyle in an earlier period of life, also developing programs for prevention which will encourage youth in adopting healthy lifestyles and related behavior.

To examine the effects of child-oriented dietary intervention on parental eating attitudes and dietary behaviour.

In the prospective, randomized Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project for Children (the STRIP study), a cohort of Finnish families took part in a nutritional intervention trial focused on the quality of their children's fat intake since the age of 8 months. Health-related and hedonic eating attitudes of the parents were measured after 10 years of dietary intervention using a validated Health and Taste Attitude Scales (HTAS) questionnaire (n 660). Parents’ eating behaviour was studied using a 1 d food record (n 491).

Finland.

Mothers and fathers (n 660) of the STRIP children.

The parents of the intervention families had a higher level of interest in healthy eating compared with control parents. The interest in natural products or hedonic eating attitudes did not differ between the groups. The parents’ general health interest was associated with low saturated fat intake, fruit and vegetable consumption, fibre intake and seeking pleasure in eating, but it was not associated with BMI. The intervention also improved the quality of dietary fat among parents with the lowest level of interest in healthy eating.

Parents’ general health interest was associated with regular dietary counselling as well as with healthier food choice behaviour. However, the dietary intervention that focused especially on the quality of the child's fat intake also enhanced specific changes in the family's fat consumption without a high level of interest in healthy eating.

To investigate the association between the weight status of first–year female students (FYFS) and various weight management–related characteristics to identify possible components of a weight management programme for students.

Cross‐sectional study.

Female residences at a South African university.

A total of 360 FYFS.

Mean (± standard deviation (SD)) body mass index (BMI) of the FYFS was 21.8 ± 2.6 kg m−2, with 7.2% being underweight, 81.9% normal‐weight, 10.0% overweight and 0.8% obese. Underweight, normal–eight and overweight students differed with regard to their perception of their weight (P < 0.001), weight goals (P < 0.001) and previous weight–loss practices (P < 0.001). Mean ± SD score on the 26-item Eating Attitudes Test (EAT–26) was 8.5 ± 9.0 with 8.4% classified as high scorers. Mean ± SD score on the 34-item Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) was 87.7 ± 32.2, with 76.1% classified as low, 11.9% as medium and 11.9% as high scorers. The self-concept questionnaire indicated that 36.7% had a high, 43.9% a medium and 19.4% a low self-concept. Higher BMI correlated with a higher BSQ score (P < 0.001), a lower self-concept (P = 0.029) and a higher EAT-26 score (P < 0.001). Smoking was prevalent amongst 13.1% of students, and 51.2% used vitamin and/or mineral supplements. Students who quitted smoking had higher (P = 0.006) BMI (22.7 ± 2.9 kg m-2) than those who never smoked before (21.6 ± 2.5 kg m−2). Normal-weight students were more physically active than underweight or overweight students (P = 0.038).

The specific weight management-related needs of FYFS include information about supplement use, smoking, realistic weight goals, safe and sound weight-loss methods, weight cycling, body-shape perceptions, eating attitudes and behaviours, self-concept and physical activity. Interventions aimed at correcting these problems should target all students, regardless of their BMI.