scholarly journals Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Disordered Eating Behavior: Qualitative Analysis of Social Media Posts

10.2196/26011 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. e26011
Author(s):  
Sara K Nutley ◽  
Alyssa M Falise ◽  
Rebecca Henderson ◽  
Vasiliki Apostolou ◽  
Carol A Mathews ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Disordered Eating ◽  
Eating Behavior ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Discussion Forums ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Disordered Eating Behaviors ◽  
Disordered Eating Behavior ◽  
The Impact

Background A growing body of evidence is suggesting a significant association between the COVID-19 pandemic and population-level mental health. Study findings suggest that individuals with a lifetime history of disordered eating behavior may be negatively affected by COVID-19–related anxiety, and prevention measures may disrupt daily functioning and limit access to treatment. However, data describing the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on disordered eating behaviors are limited, and most findings focus on individuals in treatment settings. Objective The aim of this study is to characterize the experiences of Reddit users worldwide who post in eating disorder (ED)–related discussion forums describing the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on their overall mental health and disordered eating behavior. Methods Data were collected from popular subreddits acknowledging EDs as their primary discussion topic. Unique discussion posts dated from January 1 to May 31, 2020 that referenced the COVID-19 pandemic were extracted and evaluated using inductive, thematic data analysis. Results Six primary themes were identified: change in ED symptoms, change in exercise routine, impact of quarantine on daily life, emotional well-being, help-seeking behavior, and associated risks and health outcomes. The majority of users reported that the COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health prevention measures negatively impacted their psychiatric health and contributed to increased disordered eating behaviors. Feelings of isolation, frustration, and anxiety were common. Many individuals used Reddit forums to share personal experiences, seek advice, and offer shared accountability. Conclusions Reddit discussion forums have provided a therapeutic community for individuals to share experiences and provide support for peers with ED during a period of increased psychiatric distress. Future research is needed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on disordered eating behavior and to evaluate the role of social media discussion forums in mental health treatment, especially during periods of limited treatment access.

scholarly journals The impact of COVID-19 on disordered eating behavior: a qualitative analysis of internet users’ response to the global pandemic (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara K Nutley ◽  
Alyssa M Falise ◽  
Rebecca Henderson ◽  
Vicky Apostolou ◽  
Carol A Mathews ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Disordered Eating ◽  
Eating Behavior ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Discussion Forums ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Disordered Eating Behaviors ◽  
Disordered Eating Behavior ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND A growing body of evidence suggests a significant association between the COVID-19 pandemic and population mental health. Findings suggest that individuals with a lifetime history of disordered eating behavior may be negatively affected by COVID-19 related anxiety and prevention measures may disrupt daily functioning and limit access to treatment. Nevertheless, data describing the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on disordered eating behaviors are limited and most findings focus on individuals in treatment settings. OBJECTIVE To characterize the experiences of global Reddit users posting in eating disorder (ED)-related discussion forums, describing the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on overall mental health and disordered eating behavior. METHODS Data were collected from popular subreddits acknowledging EDs as their primary discussion topic. Unique discussion posts dated from January 1, 2020 to May 31, 2020 that referenced the COVID-19 pandemic were extracted and evaluated using inductive, thematic data analysis. RESULTS Six primary themes were identified: change in ED symptoms, change in exercise routine, impact of quarantine on daily life, emotional well-being, help-seeking behavior, and associated risks and health outcomes. The majority of users reported that the COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health prevention measures negatively impacted their psychiatric health and contributed to increased disordered eating behaviors. Feelings of isolation, frustration, and anxiety were common. Many individuals used Reddit forums to share personal experiences, seek advice, and offer shared accountability. CONCLUSIONS Reddit discussion forums have provided a therapeutic community for individuals to share experiences and provide support for peers with ED during a period of increased psychiatric distress. Future research is needed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on disordered eating behavior and to evaluate the role of social media discussion forums in mental health treatment, especially during periods of limited treatment access.

Cognitive Mapping: Its Use as an Assessment Tool for Disordered Eating

1999 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-72
Author(s):  
Kristin L. Wiginton ◽  
Deborah Rhea
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Disordered Eating ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Cognitive Mapping ◽  
Female Athletes ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Mental Representations ◽  
Disordered Eating Behaviors ◽  
Preventive Practices ◽  
The Impact

The incidence of eating disorders among female athletes continues to increase, presenting intervention challenges to athletic trainers. Additionally, a number of female athletes have disordered eating behaviors that do not yet constitute an eating disorder diagnosis, but have similar characteristics to those athletes diagonised with eating disorders. However, each athlete exhibits individual mental representations of disordered eating and the impact of those representations on important aspects of her life. The athletic trainer has the potential to offer comprehensive preventive education when all aspects of the athlete’s own understanding of disordered eating are assessed. Cognitive mapping is an assessment technique that can be used in addition to other preventive practices and can be useful in determining an athlete’s current mental representations of disordered eating.

scholarly journals Desire to Be Underweight: Exploratory Study on a Weight Loss App Community and User Perceptions of the Impact on Disordered Eating Behaviors

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (10) ◽  
pp. e150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Victoria Eikey ◽  
Madhu C Reddy ◽  
Kayla M Booth ◽  
Lynette Kvasny ◽  
Johnna L Blair ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Disordered Eating ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Disordered Eating Behaviors ◽  
User Perceptions ◽  
The Impact

American Indian Adolescents and Disordered Eating

2010 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 2156759X1001400
Author(s):  
Juleen K. Buser
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
American Indian ◽  
School Counseling ◽  
School Counselors ◽  
Disordered Eating ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Racial Groups ◽  
Disordered Eating Behaviors ◽  
Indian Adolescents ◽  
American Indian Adolescents

School counselors play an important role in identifying and intervening with students struggling with disordered eating (e.g., Bardick et al., 2004). Research has shown that American Indian adolescents report higher rates of certain disordered eating behaviors than other racial groups. The literature on the prevalence and etiology of disordered eating among American Indian adolescents can assist school counselors in gaining understanding of this mental health struggle and can contribute to school counseling prevention and intervention.

scholarly journals Childhood life events and disturbed eating behaviors in a population-based cohort in the Netherlands

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
R Thomas ◽  
E Diemer ◽  
R Siliquini ◽  
P W Jansen
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Early Detection ◽  
Disordered Eating ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Eating Behavior ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Restrained Eating ◽  
Disordered Eating Behaviors ◽  
Adjusted Model

Abstract Background Adversities such as maltreatment and physical and emotional abuse are recognized risk factors for eating disorders (EDs) in adolescents and adults, but whether such adversities are also associated with eating behaviors in childhood has been less explored. Our aim was to examine whether a wide range of life events can predict emotional overeating and restrained eating in childhood, which are potential precursors of EDs. Methods The study is embedded in Generation R, a prospective population-based cohort. The sample included 4653 children aged 10 years. Emotional overeating was assessed with the Children’s Eating Behavior Questionnaire, and restrained eating with the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire. Mothers reported the occurrence of 24 adverse events in their offspring’s childhood. Regression analyses were conducted, both unadjusted and adjusted for gender, ethnicity, and parental education and psychopathology. Results Unadjusted models showed that a higher number of life events is associated with more emotional overeating and more restrained eating; effect estimates attenuated slightly in the adjusted model, but remained significant (per 1 more life event: B = 0.05, 95%CI 0.02-0.08; B = 0.04, 95%CI 0.02-0.07, respectively). Particularly, participants who experienced at least 3 life events had high levels of emotional overeating and restrained eating (adjusted model: B = 0.20, 95%CI 0.06-0.33; B = 0.21, 95%CI 0.08-0.33, respectively). The specific maltreatment related life events were not significantly associated with eating behaviors, probably due to low prevalence of these events (n = 149). Conclusions This novel, population-based study shows that early life adversities may predict disordered eating behaviors in childhood. The results are in line with clinical studies on life events and EDs. If the studied eating behaviors are indeed precursors of EDs, these results may offer potential for prevention and early intervention to avoid the development of full-blown EDs. Key messages Eating disorders account for more than 2% of the global disease burden, thus representing a major Public Mental Health topic in the EU; more and new measures are required for early detection purposes. Life adversities predict disordered eating behaviors in childhood, which are considered precursors of eating disorders: early detection of this association may avoid development of eating disorders.

The Impact of Disordered Eating Behavior on College Relationships: A Qualitative Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth C. Paul ◽  
Rena Pazienza ◽  
Kieran J. Maestro ◽  
Ashley Flye ◽  
Paula Mueller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Disordered Eating ◽  
Eating Behavior ◽  
Disordered Eating Behavior ◽  
The Impact

Paternal rejection, psychological maladjustment, and child emotional eating: Path analysis in 8- to 11-year-old boys and girls

2020 ◽  
pp. 135910452096452
Author(s):  
Stefania Cella ◽  
Sebastiano Costa ◽  
Annarosa Cipriano ◽  
Paolo Cotrufo
Keyword(s):  
Eating Behavior ◽  
Emotional Eating ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Subjective Perceptions ◽  
Psychological Maladjustment ◽  
Disordered Eating Behavior ◽  
The Impact

We examined the impact of paternal rejection (based on father’s and children’s reports) on the children’s emotional eating behavior and if child psychological maladjustment mediated this relationship. Three hundred sixty-nine dyads of fathers and children were screened using self-report measures of demographic data, parental rejection, child psychological maladjustment, and disordered eating behavior. Children’s subjective perceptions of relationship with father have more impact on their psychological outcomes and unhealthy dietary patterns than father reported parenting quality. Children’s unhealthy psychological adjustment may be an essential underlying mechanism linking perceived paternal rejection of children’s emotional eating behaviors.

scholarly journals The impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on disordered eating behaviors in youths with type 1 diabetes: Analysis of cross-sectional survey data.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alda Troncone ◽  
Antonietta Chianese ◽  
Angela Zanfardino ◽  
Crescenzo Cascella ◽  
Alessia Piscopo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Type 1 Diabetes ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Disordered Eating ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Female Adolescent ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Disordered Eating Behaviors ◽  
Eat 26 ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: Recent research indicates that patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) are at higher risk for disordered eating behaviors (DEBs) than their peers without diabetes. The present study aimed at examining the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on DEBs in a sample of Italian children and adolescents with T1D and in matched-pair healthy controls.Methods: 138 children and adolescents with T1D (aged 8.01-19.11 years, 65 boys) attending a Southern Italian diabetic service and 276 age- and gender-matched healthy peers voluntarily completed a cross-sectional online survey of eating behaviors (ChEAT and Eat-26), anthropometric characteristics, and clinical characteristics. Results: 8.69% (N=12) of participants with T1D and 13.4% (N=37) of controls had ChEAT/EAT-26 scores indicating presence of DEBs, with no differences between patients—whether children (total ChEAT score F(1, 157)=.104, p=.748) or adolescents (total EAT-26 score F(1, 255)=.135, p=.731)—and healthy peers. zBMI values were lower than those measured in the latest diabetes visit (p<.0001), while HbA1c values remained unchanged (p=.110). In both groups, adolescents had lower Oral Control scores than children (T1D: F(1, 138)= 20.411, p<.0001, η2 =.132, controls: F(1, 276)=18.271, p<.0001, η2 =.063); additionally, gender (female) and age were found to be significant predictors of several ChEAT/EAT-26 scores.Discussion: Psychological conditions in relation to DEB symptoms of children and adolescents with T1D were not aggravated by lockdown conditions. Results indicated DEBs as more of a female adolescent developmental issue rather than as a result of the challenges of living with a chronic illness aggravated by outbreak. Possible effects of parental pressure on their children’s eating behaviors in the context of home confinement and of using a non-diabetes-specific measure to assess DEBs are discussed.

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