[COMPARISON OF THE RISKS IN EATING DISORDERS AND BODY IMAGE AMONG MAPUCHES AND NOT MAPUCHES STUDENTS].

Introduction: there is little evidence about the risks of eating behavior (EBD) and body image disorders (BID) in teen and young ethnic Mapuches population.

Objective: the purpose of the study was to establish whether there are differences in the risk of EBD and BID in Mapuches and not Mapuches students and associate these variables with the nutritional status.

Material And Methods: the sample was composed of 130 adolescents between 14 and 21 years; 95 Mapuches and 35 not Mapuches. In both groups was measured; body mass index (BMI), risks of disorder in the feeding behavior and body image.

Results: there were no differences in risks of EBD and ICT to compare by Mapuches ethnic group and not Mapuches (p>0.05). In the comparison by gender women showed higher values (p>0.05) at risk of eating disorders and BID. Students with malnutrition by excess obtained higher scores in the conduct of risk of BID (p=0.000). The risk of BID presented positive association with risk behaviors of EBD (p=0.000 and r=0.536).

Conclusion: the non-presence of significant differences in the risk of EBD and BID, according to ethnicity, is explained in function of the processes of social and cultural change, where modernization has led to a normalization of cultural patterns associated with eating behavior and body aesthetics between urban, rural and indigenous populations.