scholarly journals The Spectrum of Disordered Eating Attitudes Among Female University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 698-707
Author(s):  
Tarfa Albrahim ◽  
Anwar Abdullah Alrubaish ◽  
Jewaher Turki Saleh Alfadhliah ◽  
Manal Khalid Alaskar ◽  
Mona Abdulla Alatawi ◽  
...  

To explore the prevalence of disordered eating attitudes among the students of the Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University (PNU), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 396 (18-24 years) undergraduate students from the PNU were requested to participate, after acquiring their verbal consent. The two-part questionnaire included the demographic and anthropometric data like age, weight and height in the first part, while the assessment of the disordered eating attitudes according to the tools listed in the Eating Attitude Test 26 (EAT-26) were included in the second part. A total score of 20 or more on questions 1-26 was classified as being at risk of eating disorders. The study showed 145 students (36.8%) in all, fell under the class of high level of concern for an eating disorder, registering a score of 20 or higher on the EAT-26. With respect to the EAT score among the BMI categories marked differences were evident on the EAT items, feeling extremely guilty after eating, occupied with a desire to be thinner, burning up calories during exercise, preoccupied with the thought of having fat on my body, eating diet food, feeling uncomfortable after eating sweets and engaging in dieting behavior, having gone on eating binges where I feel I may not be able to stop and feeling that others would prefer if I ate more food and other people think I am too thin. Besides, in comparison to students with normal weight, students who were underweight, overweight, and obese exhibited considerable disparities on the total EAT score. More than one third (36.6%) of females at PNU university, Saudi Arabia had disordered eating attitudes. The present study revealed that female students require awareness regarding proper nutrition.

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haleama Al Sabbah ◽  
Shatha Muhsineh

Background: Growing evidence is showing high levels of physical inactivity and disordered eating attitudes among young females in the United Arab Emirates. This is clearly concerning, but little is known about the activity level of those with disordered eating attitudes and their dieting behavior. This study examines the female Emirati college students’ disordered eating attitudes and its relation to exercise behavior.Method: A cross- sectional study using a validated and reliable questionnaire was conducted on 242 Emirati female students attending a public university in Dubai. Eating Attitudes Test- 26 (EAT26) was used to measure eating attitudes and the short International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was included to measure physical activity level. A systematic random sampling from a list of classes in the fall 2014 semester was used for recruitment. The university’s Research Ethics Committee approved the study and consents were obtained from participants. SPSS v.21 was used for data analysis. Chi-square test was used to compare frequencies. Significance level was set at 0.05.Results: The participants’ mean age and standard deviation (Mean± SD) was 19 ±1.3 years. 31.4% of the participants showed disordered eating attitudes. The percentage of participants engaged in at least one concerning behavior in the past six months was 43.8%. A membership in a health club was significantly related to disordered eating attitudes (p <0.01). A high level of physical activity was correlated with laxative use, over the counter supplements, and exercising for more than 60 minutes to control weight (p<0.05). Conclusion: There is a great need for intervention programs and policies to contain the level of abnormal eating attitudes and promote healthy level of physical activity among college students.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chadia Haddad ◽  
Chloe Khoury ◽  
Pascale Salameh ◽  
Hala Sacre ◽  
Rabih Hallit ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives: To validate an Arabic version of the Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26) and identify factors (such as depression, stress, anxiety and body dissatisfaction) that might be associated with disordered eating among a sample of the Lebanese population. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: All Lebanese governorates. Participants: A total of 811 participants randomly selected participated in this 5-month study (January–May 2018). Results: The EAT-26 scale items converged over a solution of six factors that had an eigenvalue over 1, explaining a total of 60·07 % of the variance (Cronbach’s α = 0·895). The prevalence of disordered eating attitudes was 23·8 %. Higher EAT-26 scores (disordered eating attitudes) were significantly associated with higher depression (β = 0·325), higher emotional eating (β = 0·083), daily weighing (β = 3·430), higher physical activity (β = 0·05), starving to reduce weight (β = 4·94) and feeling pressure from TV/magazine to lose weight (β = 3·95). Conclusions: The Arabic version of EAT-26 can be a useful instrument for screening and assessing disordered eating attitudes in clinical practice and research. Some factors seem to be associated with more disordered eating attitudes among participants for whom psychological counseling may be needed. Yet, our findings are considered preliminary, and further studies are warranted to confirm them.


Author(s):  
Eleanor Money-Taylor ◽  
Nick Dobbin ◽  
Rebecca Gregg ◽  
Joseph J. Matthews ◽  
Ozcan Esen

Abstract Background Female athletes participating in sports emphasising aesthetics are potentially more prone to developing disordered eating (DE) and eating disorders (EDs) than non-athletes, males, and those participating in sports with less emphasis on leanness. Despite this, female bodybuilding athletes have received little attention. Aim To investigate differences in eating attitudes, behaviours and beliefs in female bodybuilding athletes and a non-athlete group. Methods A cross-sectional study design was used with the eating attitude test-26 (EAT-26) distributed to 75 women (49.3% bodybuilding athletes; 50.7% non-athletes) and the female athlete screening tool (FAST) distributed to the female bodybuilding group only. Results Demographic characteristics revealed no significant difference in age, stature or body mass index (P = 0.106 to 0.173), though differences in body mass were evident (P = 0.0001 to 0.042). Bodybuilding athletes scored significantly higher (P = 0.001) than non-athletes on the EAT-26 questionnaire, with significantly more athletes (56.8%) being labelled as ‘at risk’ of an ED than non-athletes (23.7%, P = 0.001). Responses to the FAST questionnaire indicated female bodybuilding athletes have high preoccupation with their body mass; engage in exercise to alter their body mass; and disclosed negative perceptions of themselves. Conclusion In all, female bodybuilding athletes demonstrate behaviours associated with DE and EDs as well as a preoccupation with nutrition intake, exercise, and strategies to alter their appearance. These findings have important implications for those managing female bodybuilding athletes such as strength and conditioning coaches, athletic trainers, nutritionist and dietitians with respect to detecting DE and EDs as well as minimising the risk factors.


Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 245
Author(s):  
Alejandro Martínez-Rodríguez ◽  
Manuel Vicente-Martínez ◽  
Javier Sánchez-Sánchez ◽  
Laura Miralles-Amorós ◽  
María Martínez-Olcina ◽  
...  

(1) Background: The preoccupation with the increasing appearance of eating disorders (ED) in athletes continues to grow, especially in athletes who practice team sports. ED severely affects the eating habits of the athletes, who tend to use unhealthy approaches to control their body weight. The development of nutritional education and early interventions by training staff is essential, and these factors are widely perceived as beneficial in sports medicine. This study evaluates the frequency at which beach handball (BH) players develop ED, also comparing the differences by sex and age (junior: adolescents vs. senior: young adults). In addition, the relation between body composition variables and ED was studied. (2) Methods: A descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out in 69 top elite handball players (36 males and 33 females) from the Spanish National BH Team; who were separated by age (junior: adolescents and senior: young adults). The athletes completed the Eating Attitudes Test in its 26 item version (EAT-26). (3) Results: The prevalence of ED indicated that 11% of females had a high possibility of developing an ED, and 3% of males. Regarding the EAT-26 total score and subscales, no significant differences were found between female and male participants, or between the junior and senior categories. The correlations showed an association between body composition, in terms of body mass index, and the EAT-26 total score in both males and females. In the case of males, the correlation was negative. (4) Conclusions: Although there are no significant differences between sex or categories, it has been found that elite athletes are a population that is at high risk of developing ED.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0254948
Author(s):  
Souheil Hallit ◽  
Anna Brytek-Matera ◽  
Sahar Obeid

Background Previous research demonstrated a relationship between ON and disordered eating symptoms (eating concern, restraint, cognitive preoccupations about body shape and weight) and disordered eating attitudes (DEA). Since screening for orthorexia nervosa is now part of clinical practice, the measurement instruments to be used must be clinically significant, reliable, valid and sensitive to our target population. The main objective of the present study was to confirm the factor structure of the Arabic version of the ORTO-R using a first sample of Lebanese adults and confirm those results on another sample. The secondary objective was to assess sex differences in terms of ON and DEA, as well as to examine whether symptoms of ON were related to DEA in Lebanese adults. Methods A total of 783 Lebanese adults was selected to participate in this cross-sectional study (January-May 2018) using a proportionate random sample from all Lebanese governorates. Results The mean age of the total sample was 27.78 ± 11.60 years (Min. 18 –Max. 84) (33.5% females) and their mean BMI was 24.36 ± 5.31 kg/m2. All items of the ORTO-R were extracted during the factor analysis and yielded a two-factor solution with Eigenvalues > 1 (variance explained  =  50.07%; KMO = 0.570; Bartlett’s sphericity test p<0.001; αCronbach = 0.755). This factor structure was confirmed by a confirmatory factor analysis; the Maximum Likelihood Chi-Square  =  26.894 and Degrees of Freedom  =  8, which gave a χ2/df  =  3.36. The Tucker Lewis Index (TLI) value was 0.914, whereas the standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) value was 0.032. The root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) value was 0.077 [95% CI 0.046–0.111] (pclose = 0.07) and comparative fit index (CFI) value was 0.967 respectively, indicating a good fit of the model. There was also no measurement invariance between genders. Female gender was significantly associated with lower ORTO-R scores (more orthorexia nervosa) compared to males (B = -0.65; p = 0.026, 95% CI -1.22- -0.08; ɳ2 = 0.006). However, no significant difference was found between genders in terms of EAT-26 scores (B = 0.23; p = 0.813, 95% CI -1.66–2.12; ɳ2 = 0.0001). Higher ORTO-R scores (lower/ less pathological ON tendencies and behaviors) were significantly related to higher EAT-26 total scores (higher levels of DEA) as well as higher dieting, bulimia and oral control scores in both females (from a weak to a moderate positive correlation) and males (a weak positive correlation). Conclusion This cross-sectional population-based study confirmed the factor structure of the Arabic version of the ORTO-R, demonstrated an association between ON and DEA and revealed more ON among females compared to males.


2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-86
Author(s):  
Fatma Esra Güneş ◽  
Şule Aktaç ◽  
Dicle Kargin

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between media using habits, frequency and duration, and body mass index on eating attitudes. Material and methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted with female students who received nutrition and dietetics education in Istanbul. A questionnaire consisting of a socio-demographic questionnaire, Eating Attitude Test (EAT-40), and Social Media Attitude Scale was applied to 1248 female volunteers by the face-to-face interview method.Results: It was found that 35.7% of the participants had abnormal eating attitudes and 89.6% showed a positive attitude towards social media. 93.7% of the group with abnormal eating attitudes indicated a positive attitude towards social media, 0.4% had a negative attitude and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.001). It was observed that a significant difference between EAT-40 and thought of an eating problem, having a social media membership, and spending time on social media (p<0.05).Conclusions: Social media have an effect on nutrition dietetics students on abnormal eating attitude; it did not show a significant effect on BMI.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marilou Côté ◽  
Maxime Legendre ◽  
Annie Aimé ◽  
Marie-Christine Brault ◽  
Jacinthe Dion ◽  
...  

Background Being the target of peer victimization is frequent among children categorized as overweight and obese and is thought to play a central role in disordered eating behavior development. In accordance with a previous theoretical model, this cross-sectional study aimed to replicate among children the mediating role of weight-related victimization from peers and body dissatisfaction in the association between body mass index (BMI) and children’s disordered eating attitudes and behaviors (CDEAB), while also taking into account the contribution of parents’ disordered eating attitudes and behaviors (PDEAB). Methods Participants were 874 children aged between 8 and 12 years old who were recruited in elementary schools. Height and weight were measured and used to calculate BMI. Self-reported questionnaires were used to measure weight-related victimization, body dissatisfaction, CDEAB and PDEAB. Results For both girls and boys, a path analysis showed no direct effect of BMI on CDEAB, but a significant indirect effect was found, indicating that weight-related victimization and body dissatisfaction mediated this relationship. In addition, the indirect effect of weight-related victimization and body dissatisfaction remained significant even when controlling for PDEAB. Conclusion While weight itself appears to be insufficient to explain CDEAB, weight-related victimization may lead children to see their weight as problematic and develop disordered attitudes and behaviors toward eating. This suggests that weight-related victimization from peers and body dissatisfaction must be taken seriously and that preventive and intervention efforts must be pursued.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 709-717
Author(s):  
Awad M. Al-Qahtani ◽  
Lamees M. Al-Harbi

Objectives:: To determine the prevalence of disordered eating attitudes and behaviors among high-school girls in Al-Madinah City, Saudi Arabia. Methods:: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in Al-Madinah city in 2014-15. A multi- stage random sampling technique was adopted to include female students of government secondary schools. The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) and socio-economical questionnaires were used in the study for assessing the prevalence of disordered eating. All data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results:: Overweight and obesity were reported among 11.2% and 5.6% of them, respectively, whereas 31.3% of the participants were underweight. The overall prevalence of disordered eating attitudes among female students was 42.5%. This rate was significantly higher among younger (≤16 years old) and those of the first scholastic level than others. The rate of disordered eating attitude was reported at a higher rate among obese students (59.1%) than underweight (41.5%) and normal students (42.4%). The commonest reported disordered eating behavior was self-reported binge eating behaviour (25.2%), followed by self-induced vomiting (8.7%) and the use of laxatives/ diuretics to control weight (6.1%). Conclusion:: The findings show a high prevalence of disordered eating attitude among high school female students in Al-Madinah city. Younger girls and those of the first scholastic level showed higher disordered eating attitude.


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