EATING DISORDERS AMONG SCHOOL GOING CHILDREN OF HIMACHAL PRADESH

Abstract

Eating disorders are serious medical problems. Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and bingeeating disorder are all types of eating disorders. Eating disorders frequently develop during adolescence or early adulthood, but can occur during childhood or later in adulthood. The primary objective of the study was to find out prevalence of eating disorders among children of Himachal Pradesh and secondary objective of the study was to compare which district children are more prone to eating disorders. Nine hundred eighteen male and female participants were recruited for the study with the age range 14 to 18 years. EAT-26 was used and data was collected during school hours with the permission of principal. Two way ANOVA was employed to find out difference in eating disorders district wise as well as gender wise and also percentage of participants was also computed under three different categories of EAT-26. The results of the study revealed that 62.42% male and female participants had unlikely chances of suffering from eating disorders. There were also a huge number of male and female participants under likely category of eating disorders. Two way analysis of variance was employed and f-value obtained was significant at .05 level. Further post hoc test revealed a significant difference between participants of Bilaspur and Kullu, Hamirpur and Kullu and between Kullu and Una. The cause of eating disorders is complex and badly understood. There may be a genetic predisposition, and certain specific environmental risk factors and we concluded that there is a need to educate children in relation to eating disorders.