[Association between body mass index and risk feeding behaviors to develop eating disorders in Mexican adolescents]

The body self-perception and its dissatisfaction are related with the risk for developing abnormal eating behaviors (AEB), especially in eating disorders (ED) in adolescents. The objective of this study was to identify the relationship between dietary habits and the risk for AEB and their association with body mass index (BMI) in a group of adolescents in the metropolitan area of Mexico City. It was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted with a sample of 671 adolescents, both sex, between 12 and 15 years. A validated questionnaire was used to assess the risk for developing AEB. BMI was obtained, and information from the practice and knowledge of food consumption was available. The prevalence of the risk for developing AEB in this study was 12%. It showed that 48% of participants were overweight or obese, 20% did not eat breakfast, 16% took their food without doing other activity simultaneously (p = 0.012). The variables associated with the risk AEB, for developing of ED were doing any activity simultaneously with food intake (OR: 4.23 p = 0.006), overweight-obesity (OR: 2.59 p = 0001), eating without company (OR: 2.04 p = 0.005), not eating fruit (OR: 1.96 = 0.008) or milk (OR:1.79 p = 0.026), being female (OR: 1.74 p = 0.024) and skipping breakfast (OR: 1.57 p = 0,035). Food intake differed with what themselves recommended being healthy, which was lower in vegetables, fruits, leguminous and higher in sugars, fats and soda. We conclude there is a relationship between BMI and the risk for developing AEB. There was no consistency between what adolescents say they should eat to be healthy and what they eat.