| This exploratory survey of female registered dietitians' eating behaviors investigated the relations between (a) job classification (involving versus not involving weight control counseling), (b) self-perceived job pressure to maintain an appropriate body weight, (c) self-regulation of eating (controlling food intake to maintain a particular body weight; measured with the Restraint Eating subscale of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire), (d) body dissatisfaction (measured by the Body Dissatisfaction subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory), (e) dieting behavior (a composite measure including dieting, skipping meals, purging, and binge eating), and (f) healthful eating behavior (conformance with the 1995 Dietary Guidelines for Americans).; Of the 733 questionnaires mailed to a random sample of registered dietitians, obtained from the American Dietetic Association membership lists, 391 (60%) were returned. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Packet for the Social Sciences. Discriminant analysis was used to determine which variables could differentiate between the two job classification groups. Multiple regression was used to determine the impact of self-perceived job pressure to maintain an appropriate body weight on the other eating behavior variables. Additional analyses examined the influence of age, primary practice area, body mass index, and binge eating behavior on the eating behavior variables.; Job classification was found to be less important than body weight in determining self-perceived job pressure to maintain an appropriate body weight. Self-perceived job pressure was related to self-regulation of eating, body dissatisfaction, healthful eating behavior, dieting behavior, and binge eating. Almost 13% of the dietitians reported binge eating; they were more likely to report a history of eating disorders, higher levels of body dissatisfaction, self-regulation of eating, and dieting behavior, poorer food choices, and to have a higher body mass index.; Overweight dietitians reported higher levels of self-peceived job pressure to maintain their weight, body dissatisfaction, self-regulation of eating, and dieting behavior, as well as poorer food choices than appropriate weight dietitians. Overweight dietitians more accurately classified themselves as overweight; their underweight and appropriate-weight peers were more likely to overestimate their weight status. |
