Onset of dieting in childhood and adolescence: implications for personality, psychopathology, eating attitudes and behaviors of women with eating disorder

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study examined the MMPI-2 and EDI-2 scores of 205 Korean women with eating disorders to identify difference between early and adulthood onset of dieting groups.

METHODS: 101 women had started dieting in their childhood to adolescence (EARLYdieting group) and 104 had started dieting in their adulthood (ADULTdieting group).

RESULTS: Both of the MMPI-2 and EDI-2 scores were significantly different between the two groups before and after adjusting for the duration since the onset of eating disorder. EARLYdieting group scored higher in the MMPI-2 clinical scales 1, 3, 0 and the EDI-2 bulimia scale. EARLYdieting group tended to use a more varied dieting strategy.

CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggested that starting to diet early in life may be related to more severe psychopathology and dieting behaviors in adulthood.