Craven Katherine L, Hawks Steven R
Department of Physical Education, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA.
Promot Educ. 2006;13(1):14-20.
The impact of economic development and urbanisation on nutrition and dietary changes in transitional countries has been well researched. It generally has been found that there is a positive correlation between economic development, urbanization, and negative nutrition transitions with the result of growing levels of obesity and diet related non-communicable diseases. However, the impact of Western influences and culture on specific eating styles associated with the nutrition transition has been less studied. There is limited information about cultural and Western influences on eating styles in Thailand. Recent findings suggest that Thailand may have progressed further along the nutrition transition model, in terms of unhealthy eating styles, than would be expected based on economic development. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of current eating styles and eating motivations among Thai university students. University students were chosen for evaluation as they are thought to represent the forefront of dietary trends and nutrition changes in a population. Convenience samples from four different universities in south-central and northern Thailand were selected. The following scales were used to assess eating and dieting styles and attitudes among 662 Thai undergraduate and graduate students: Motivation For Eating Scale (MFES), Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26), and Cognitive Dieting Behavior Scale (CBDS). All scales have been shown to be reliable and valid in previous research. For this study, scales were translated into Thai, reverse translated, and pilot tested to ensure cultural relevancy and the conveyance of intended meanings. Basic demographic information was also obtained, including age, gender, year in school, marital status, height and weight, and income. Results indicated that Thai students exhibit significant levels of dieting behaviour and extrinsic eating based on CBDS and MFES scores (with the exception of environmental eating). For most negative eating styles, females scored higher than males. It was also found that high levels of dieting and extrinsic eating were positively correlated with body mass index, suggesting the possible risk of future weight gain and obesity. While the occurrence of eating disordered attitudes based on EAT-26 scores was low (13%), analysis of EAT-26 scores indicated that the occurrence of eating disordered attitudes was strongly correlated with dieting behaviour among this population. The results support the need for a programme to educate Thai students, especially females, regarding healthy patterns of dieting and eating attitudes in order to prevent future weight gains and eating disorders predicted by the nutrition transition model.
经济发展和城市化对转型国家营养和饮食变化的影响已得到充分研究。一般发现，经济发展、城市化与负面营养转型之间存在正相关，结果是肥胖水平和与饮食相关的非传染性疾病不断增加。然而，西方影响和文化对与营养转型相关的特定饮食方式的影响研究较少。关于文化和西方对泰国饮食方式的影响，信息有限。最近的研究结果表明，在不健康饮食方式方面，泰国在营养转型模式上的进展可能比基于经济发展预期的要快。本研究旨在确定泰国大学生当前饮食方式和饮食动机的流行情况。选择大学生进行评估，因为他们被认为代表了人群中饮食趋势和营养变化的前沿。从泰国中南部和北部的四所不同大学选取了便利样本。使用以下量表评估662名泰国本科生和研究生的饮食和节食方式及态度：饮食动机量表（MFES）、饮食态度测试-26（EAT-26）和认知节食行为量表（CBDS）。在先前的研究中，所有量表都已被证明是可靠和有效的。对于本研究，量表被翻译成泰语，进行回译，并进行预测试，以确保文化相关性和预期含义的传达。还获取了基本人口统计信息，包括年龄、性别、在校年级、婚姻状况、身高和体重以及收入。结果表明，根据CBDS和MFES得分，泰国学生表现出显著水平的节食行为和外在饮食（环境饮食除外）。对于大多数负面饮食方式，女性得分高于男性。还发现，高水平的节食和外在饮食与体重指数呈正相关，表明未来体重增加和肥胖的可能风险。虽然根据EAT-26得分出现饮食失调态度的发生率较低（13%），但对EAT-26得分的分析表明，饮食失调态度的发生率与该人群中的节食行为密切相关。结果支持有必要开展一项计划，教育泰国学生，尤其是女性，了解健康的节食模式和饮食态度，以防止营养转型模式预测的未来体重增加和饮食失调。
