Objective: To determine the prevalence and associated factors to disordered eating (DE) in adolescents by sex.
Material and methods: A transversal and analytic study was carried out with 1,134 first grade students at a public high school. Self esteem, impulsivity, depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, entertainment, locus of control, relationship with father/ mother, stress and DE were assessed with previously validated and standardized scales.
Results: A prevalence of 7.2% of risky eating behaviors was obtained; 2.8% for men and 10.3% for women. In men in the risk analysis the association was maintained for impulsivity, depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation and stress. After the multivaried analysis only depression and stress showed any association. In women in the risk analysis, the association was maintained for impulsivity, depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation and stress, and after the multivaried analysis only impulsivity, suicidal ideation and stress maintained the association.
Conclusions: The prevalence of DE was higher among women. The associated factors in men were depressive symptoms and stress, whilst for women was impulsivity, suicidal ideation and stress.