FAD DIETS, EATING HABITS, AND NUTRIENT ADEQUACY IN FEMALE MODELS IN MALANG

Abstract

Nowadays, beauty standards challenge women to transform; having a thin body with a small waist is one ideal perspective, especially for female models.  These appearance standards bring forth the urge to fit in by means such as weight loss.  Most females tend to utilize unhealthy weight-loss methods, commonly via fad diets.  In Indonesia, most women suffer from chronic energy deficiency due to fad diets and incorrect dieting methods.  This study’s purpose was to analyze diet methods in fad diets, food categories, and female models’ nutrient adequacy in Malang.  This was a cross-sectional study involving 52 models aged 18-25 years.  Fad diet participation was measured by fad diet questionnaires while food habits were measured using the SQ-FFQ intake of eight food groups, including grains, eggs, fish, meat and processed meat, vegetables, fruits, and sugar-sweetened food and beverages.  Nutrient adequacy was measured using food recall in the last 2x24 hours.  The data analysis was done using a Chi-square test.  The study result illustrated that fad diets were done by most of the respondents (69.9%).  Healthy nutritional pattern found in respondents consisted of whole grains, eggs, dairy, fish, meat, vegetables, and fruits (30.7%).  Unhealthy dietary habits included sugar-sweetened beverages and fat intake (69.3%).  Moreover, most respondents had inadequate nutritional adequacy (77.8%).  There was a correlation between fad diets and nutritional adequacy (p=0.021).  In conclusion, most female models were experienced in fad diets, and had insufficient nutrient adequacy.