Subash Thapa
Adolescents are vulnerable to body image dissatisfaction (BID) and eating disorder, and this vulnerability might differ among females and males. Information about gender differences in prevalence and determinants of body image dissatisfaction and eating disorder in Nepalese adolescents is largely unknown. Therefore, we carried out to examine the gender difference in prevalence and determinants of eating disorder among adolescents in Kathmandu, Nepal. Two hundred and thirty nine adolescents aged 15 to 19 were invited to fill the self-administrable questionnaire. Almost, 71% of females had positive BID and 14% of females had negative BID. Whereas, 12% of males had positive BID and 60% had negative BID. The prevalence of eating disorder was 29% in females and 16% in males. Exposure to media determined BID and as such increased risk of eating disorder in both females and males. BMI was positively associated with BID in females and negatively associated with BID in males. Body esteem was also identified as a determinant of BID in females. It is recommended that awareness programs through different mass media about negative effects of eating disorder should be stipulated.
