Predictors of Disordered Eating in Young People with Asthma
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Predictors of Disordered Eating in Young People with Asthma
IRAS ID
221561
Contact name
Roshan Jones
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of East Anglia
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 4 months, 28 days
Research summary
There is increasing recognition that young people with chronic health difficulties are at an increased risk of experiencing mental health difficulties as a result. Asthma is the most common chronic health condition affecting children and adolescents, with 9.1% of young people currently living with asthma in the UK. It is understood that for some young people, asthma can have an impact on their physical activity levels, and their weight can be affected by their treatment. Research into the psychological impact of having asthma in youth also indicates a co-morbidity between anxiety and depression. Furthermore, young people with asthma report experiencing low self-esteem, high body mass index (BMI) and body dissatisfaction. Little research exists which has investigated the psychological wellbeing of young people with asthma beyond anxiety and depression. Limited research suggests that adolescents with asthma may be at an increased risk of developing disordered eating, compared to their peers with other chronic health conditions (such as diabetes). It is possible that physical activity, BMI, low self-esteem and body dissatisfaction may act as predictors of disordered eating in adolescence with asthma. However this has not been investigated. This study aims to explore whether young people with asthma experience disordered eating. It also aims to investigate whether specific factors such as physical activity, BMI, asthma severity and low self-esteem predict disordered eating in this population.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/EE/0222
Date of REC Opinion
9 Jun 2017
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion