Differential pathways to disordered eating for immigrant and native adolescents in Taiwan

Plain English summary This study fills the gap in the literature on disparities in disordered eating and factors associated with disordered eating among immigrant adolescents in Taiwan. To our knowledge, this is the first study focusing on disordered eating among immigrant adolescents in Taiwan. The...

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Main Authors: Duan-Rung Chen, Li-Yin Lin, Brianna Levin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2023-04-01
Series:Journal of Eating Disorders
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-023-00781-4
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author Duan-Rung Chen
Li-Yin Lin
Brianna Levin
author_facet Duan-Rung Chen
Li-Yin Lin
Brianna Levin
author_sort Duan-Rung Chen
collection DOAJ
description Plain English summary This study fills the gap in the literature on disparities in disordered eating and factors associated with disordered eating among immigrant adolescents in Taiwan. To our knowledge, this is the first study focusing on disordered eating among immigrant adolescents in Taiwan. The unique contribution of this research is to elucidate the different pathways leading to disordered eating for native and immigrant adolescents. In native adolescents, weight-teasing by family members but not by friends was indirectly related to disordered eating through psychological distress. In adolescents with an immigrant background, weight-teasing by friends was indirectly associated with disordering eating through psychological distress. Additionally, weight overestimation is a unique risk factor directly and indirectly through psychological distress related to disordered eating for immigrant adolescents. As a highly Westernized country, the Taiwanese’s mainstream ideal body shape is “thinness.” Substantial social discrimination against obese adolescents regarding peer acceptance and sexual attraction may put immigrant adolescents at an increased risk of experiencing body dissatisfaction, psychological stress, and eating disorder symptoms due to their minority status, struggling to adapt to a social environment different from their parents, and wanting peer acceptance. The study urges the need for school-based prevention programs to improve immigrant students’ mental health.
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spelling doaj.art-91fdce2dd3734958996c0c350bd77d6b2023-04-09T11:06:05ZengBMCJournal of Eating Disorders2050-29742023-04-0111111410.1186/s40337-023-00781-4Differential pathways to disordered eating for immigrant and native adolescents in TaiwanDuan-Rung Chen0Li-Yin Lin1Brianna Levin2Institute of Health Behaviors and Community Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan UniversityDepartment of Leisure Industry and Health Promotion, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health SciencesSchool of Nursing at Johns Hopkins UniversityPlain English summary This study fills the gap in the literature on disparities in disordered eating and factors associated with disordered eating among immigrant adolescents in Taiwan. To our knowledge, this is the first study focusing on disordered eating among immigrant adolescents in Taiwan. The unique contribution of this research is to elucidate the different pathways leading to disordered eating for native and immigrant adolescents. In native adolescents, weight-teasing by family members but not by friends was indirectly related to disordered eating through psychological distress. In adolescents with an immigrant background, weight-teasing by friends was indirectly associated with disordering eating through psychological distress. Additionally, weight overestimation is a unique risk factor directly and indirectly through psychological distress related to disordered eating for immigrant adolescents. As a highly Westernized country, the Taiwanese’s mainstream ideal body shape is “thinness.” Substantial social discrimination against obese adolescents regarding peer acceptance and sexual attraction may put immigrant adolescents at an increased risk of experiencing body dissatisfaction, psychological stress, and eating disorder symptoms due to their minority status, struggling to adapt to a social environment different from their parents, and wanting peer acceptance. The study urges the need for school-based prevention programs to improve immigrant students’ mental health.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-023-00781-4Disordered eatingPsychological distressWeight overestimationImmigrant adolescentsWeight-teasing
spellingShingle Duan-Rung Chen
Li-Yin Lin
Brianna Levin
Differential pathways to disordered eating for immigrant and native adolescents in Taiwan
Journal of Eating Disorders
Disordered eating
Psychological distress
Weight overestimation
Immigrant adolescents
Weight-teasing
title Differential pathways to disordered eating for immigrant and native adolescents in Taiwan
title_full Differential pathways to disordered eating for immigrant and native adolescents in Taiwan
title_fullStr Differential pathways to disordered eating for immigrant and native adolescents in Taiwan
title_full_unstemmed Differential pathways to disordered eating for immigrant and native adolescents in Taiwan
title_short Differential pathways to disordered eating for immigrant and native adolescents in Taiwan
title_sort differential pathways to disordered eating for immigrant and native adolescents in taiwan
topic Disordered eating
Psychological distress
Weight overestimation
Immigrant adolescents
Weight-teasing
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-023-00781-4
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AT liyinlin differentialpathwaystodisorderedeatingforimmigrantandnativeadolescentsintaiwan
AT briannalevin differentialpathwaystodisorderedeatingforimmigrantandnativeadolescentsintaiwan