Disordered eating related behaviors among Arab schoolgirls in Israel: an epidemiological study.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the prevalence of disordered eating attitudes and behaviors among three religious subgroups of Arab schoolgirls in Israel (Moslems, Druze, and Christians).

METHOD

The sample consisted of 1,131 Arab schoolgirls in Israel, including 922 (81.5%) Moslem, 125 (11.1%) Christian, and 84 (7.4%) Druze adolescents, in the 7-12th grades. The sample was drawn from urban and rural residential settings from all parts of Israel using a clusters sampling method.

RESULTS

The Christian subgroup had a significantly lower total eating disorder inventory-2 (EDI-2) score than the Druze and Moslem subgroups, which had similar total EDI-2 scores. Significant differences were found between the three religious subgroups in all subscales, except in drive for thinness (DT), bulimia, body dissatisfaction, and asceticism. A total of 154 (13%) Arab schoolgirls scored higher than the cut-off point of >>14 on the EDI-DT subscale.

CONCLUSION

The results are discussed in light of the differences between the Christian, Druze, and Moslem subgroups and in terms of various aspects of Arab culture in Israel.