Peer and family influence in eating disorders: A meta-analysis

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the present study was to undertake a systematic review using meta-analysis procedures to assess the relationships between eating disorders and peer and family influence and to evaluate whether gender plays a moderator role in that relationship. Method: PsycINFO, Medline, Web of Science, EPSCO and Embase databases from 1980 to 2010 were searched in June and October 2010. Hand searching of relevant reference sections was also undertaken. Results: It was possible to obtain 83 effect sizes from the 25 studies selected. Results showed that both peers and family influence dieting behavior, body dissatisfaction and bulimic symptoms in adolescent girls and boys. Furthermore, the analyses of the moderator variables showed that the variability of the effect sizes found was, in some cases, explained by gender, influence type and the country of the sample. Discussion and conclusion: These results highlight how daily social interactions can influence unhealthy eating practices in adolescent girls and boys, and suggest that weight-related issues of parents and peers can be transmitted to adolescents.