[Detection of adolescents at risk of suffering eating disorders]

To analyse which risk factors are related to eating disorders and to identify useful questions for their early detection in primary care.

Observational, cross-sectional study.

Six secondary schools in Leganés, Madrid, Spain.

Adolescents aged between 12 and 18 years old attending secondary school.

Risk of suffering an eating disorder (Eating Attitudes Test-26) and questions about weight, height, family, attitudes towards body image, use of health services for eating disorders, and mental illness history.

An 8.8% of the adolescents were at risk of developing an eating disorder (4.6% male; 11.8% female). Age in males (OR=0.76) and 24-hour fasting to lose weight (OR for males =7.44; OR for females =3.09) were associated with the risk of eating disorders. Early menarche (OR=1.69), having dieted for social or environmental reasons, and self-induced vomiting (OR=5.71) were associated with eating disorders in women. The specificity and negative predictive value of asking about self-induced vomiting and 24-hour fasting in order to detect an eating disorder were around 95%.

Age is a protective factor for eating disorders, especially in males. In women, early menarche is a risk factor. Asking about self-induced vomiting and 24-hour fasting enables eating disorders in women to be ruled out.