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    Hardin, Jessica McLennan, Amy K. and Brewis, Alexandra 2018. Body size, body norms and some unintended consequences of obesity intervention in the Pacific islands. Annals of Human Biology, Vol. 45, Issue. 3, p. 285.
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    Dunker, Karin Louise Lenz and Claudino, Angelica Medeiros 2017. Validity and Reliability of the Brazilian Version of the Weight Control Behaviors Scale. The Journal of Pediatrics, Vol. 189, Issue. , p. 143.
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    Diedrichs, Phillippa C. 2017. Encyclopedia of Feeding and Eating Disorders. p. 782.
    Shekriladze, Ia and Tchanturia, Kate 2017. Encyclopedia of Feeding and Eating Disorders. p. 1.
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    Dijkstra, Pieternel Barelds, Dick P. H. and van Brummen-Girigori, Odette 2017. General Cognitive Distortions and Body Satisfaction: Findings From The Netherlands and Curaçao. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, Vol. 10, Issue. 2, p. 161.
    Shekriladze, Ia and Tchanturia, Kate 2016. Encyclopedia of Feeding and Eating Disorders. p. 1.
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Eating behaviours and attitudes following prolonged exposure to television among ethnic Fijian adolescent girls

  • Anne E. Becker (a1), Rebecca A. Burwell (a1), David B. Herzog (a1), Paul Hamburg (a2) and Stephen E. Gilman (a3)...
Abstract
Background

There are no published studies evaluating the impact of introduction of television on disordered eating in media-naïve populations.

Aims

To assess the impact of novel, prolonged exposure to television on disordered eating attitudes and behaviours among ethnic Fijian adolescent girls.

Method

A prospective, multi-wave cross-sectional design was used to compare two samples of Fijian schoolgirls before and after prolonged regional television exposure with a modified 26-item eating attitudes test, supplemented with a semi-structured interview to confirm self-reported symptoms. Narrative data from a subset of respondents from the exposed sample were analysed for content relating television exposure to body image concerns.

Results

Key indicators of disordered eating were significantly more prevalent following exposure. Narrative data revealed subjects' interest in weight loss as a means of modelling themselves after television characters.

Conclusions

This naturalistic experiment suggests a negative impact of television upon disordered eating attitudes and behaviours in a media-naïve population.

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Copyright
COPYRIGHT: © 2002 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 
Corresponding author
Dr Anne E. Becker, Massachusetts General Hospital, 15 Parkman Street, WAC 81 Boston, MA 02114. USA
Footnotes
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†

See editorial, pp. 480–482, this issue.

Declaration of interest

This study was supported by funding from the Harvard Medical School.

Footnotes
References
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  • Cited by 201
  • Cited by
    Crossref Citations
    Crossref logo
    This article has been cited by the following publications. This list is generated based on data provided by CrossRef.
    Hardin, Jessica McLennan, Amy K. and Brewis, Alexandra 2018. Body size, body norms and some unintended consequences of obesity intervention in the Pacific islands. Annals of Human Biology, Vol. 45, Issue. 3, p. 285.
    Gattino, Silvia De Piccoli, Norma Fedi, Angela Boza, Mihaela and Rollero, Chiara 2018. A Cross-cultural Study of Biological, Psychological, and Social Antecedents of Self-objectification in Italy and Romania. Sex Roles, Vol. 78, Issue. 5-6, p. 325.
    Kiefner-Burmeister, Allison and Musher-Eizenman, Dara 2018. The Benefits and Trajectory of Digital Editing-Based Media Literacy among Girls. Mass Communication and Society, p. 1.
    de Oliveira, Ana Claudia Sokulski, Carla Cristiane da Silva Batista, Alamo Alexandre and de Francisco, Antonio Carlos 2018. Competencies for sustainability: A proposed method for the analysis of their interrelationships. Sustainable Production and Consumption, Vol. 14, Issue. , p. 82.
    Strand, Mattias 2018. René Girard and the Mimetic Nature of Eating Disorders. Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry,
    Jucker, Jean-Luc Thornborrow, Tracey Beierholm, Ulrik Burt, D. Michael Barton, Robert A. Evans, Elizabeth H. Jamieson, Mark A. Tovée, Martin J. and Boothroyd, Lynda G. 2017. Nutritional status and the influence of TV consumption on female body size ideals in populations recently exposed to the media. Scientific Reports, Vol. 7, Issue. 1,
    Hunter, Evelyn A. Kluck, Annette S. Cobb-Sheehan, Megan D. English, Erin M. and Ray, Erica 2017. Family food and shape messages: Capturing the experiences of African-American women. Appetite, Vol. 118, Issue. , p. 26.
    Dunker, Karin Louise Lenz and Claudino, Angelica Medeiros 2017. Validity and Reliability of the Brazilian Version of the Weight Control Behaviors Scale. The Journal of Pediatrics, Vol. 189, Issue. , p. 143.
    Shian Ming, Tan Kah Foo, Victor Kwok Zainal, Kelly Ann and Hui Yen, Lee 2017. Late- vs. early-onset anorexia nervosa in Asia: Nosological, aetiological, and therapeutic implications. International Journal of Mental Health, Vol. 46, Issue. 3, p. 227.
    Moskowitz, Lindsay and Weiselberg, Eric 2017. Anorexia Nervosa/Atypical Anorexia Nervosa. Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care, Vol. 47, Issue. 4, p. 70.
    Prusky, Melissa Shear, Matthew and Attia, Evelyn 2017. Handbook of DSM-5 Disorders in Children and Adolescents. p. 333.
    Klump, Kelly L. Culbert, Kristen M. and Sisk, Cheryl L. 2017. Sex Differences in Binge Eating: Gonadal Hormone Effects Across Development. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, Vol. 13, Issue. 1, p. 183.
    Nagar, Itisha and Virk, Rukhsana 2017. The Struggle Between the Real and Ideal. SAGE Open, Vol. 7, Issue. 1, p. 215824401769132.
    2017. Eating Disorders in Special Populations. p. 277.
    Diedrichs, Phillippa C. 2017. Encyclopedia of Feeding and Eating Disorders. p. 782.
    Shekriladze, Ia and Tchanturia, Kate 2017. Encyclopedia of Feeding and Eating Disorders. p. 1.
    Feng, Tingting and Abebe, Dawit Shawel 2017. Eating behaviour disorders among adolescents in a middle school in Dongfanghong, China. Journal of Eating Disorders, Vol. 5, Issue. 1,
    Wimmer-Puchinger, Beate and Thurner, Eva 2017. Bio-Psycho-Social Obstetrics and Gynecology. p. 165.
    Dijkstra, Pieternel Barelds, Dick P. H. and van Brummen-Girigori, Odette 2017. General Cognitive Distortions and Body Satisfaction: Findings From The Netherlands and Curaçao. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, Vol. 10, Issue. 2, p. 161.
    Shekriladze, Ia and Tchanturia, Kate 2016. Encyclopedia of Feeding and Eating Disorders. p. 1.
    Download full list
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Eating behaviours and attitudes following prolonged exposure to television among ethnic Fijian adolescent girls

  • Anne E. Becker (a1), Rebecca A. Burwell (a1), David B. Herzog (a1), Paul Hamburg (a2) and Stephen E. Gilman (a3)...
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