Eating behavior and body image among psychology students

Maria Lúcia Magalhães Bosi,Kátia Yumi Uchimura,Ronir Raggio Luiz

doi:10.1590/s0047-20852009000300002

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To characterize eating habits and possible risk factors associated with eating disorders among psychology students, a segment at risk for eating disorders. METHOD: This is a cross-sectional study. The questionnaires Bulimic Investigatory Test Edinburgh (BITE), Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) and a variety that considers related issues were applied. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 11.0 was utilized in analysis. The study population was composed of 175 female students, with a mean age of 21.2 (DP ± 3.6 years). RESULTS: A positive result was detected on the EAT-26 for 6.9% of the cases (CI95%: 3.6-11.7%). The prevalence of increased symptoms and intense gravity, according to the BITE questionnaire was 5% (CI95%: 2.4-9.5%) and 2.5% (CI95%: 0.7-6.3%), respectively. According to the findings, 26.29% of the students presented abnormal eating behavior. The population with moderate/severe BSQ scores presented dissatisfaction with corporal weight. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that attention must be given to eating behavior risks within this group. A differentiated gaze is justified with respect to these future professionals, whose practice is jeopardized in cases in which they are themselves the bearers of installed symptoms or precursory behavior.

Highlights

Eating disorders are defined as deviances regarding eating behavior that may lead to death
When body mass index (BMI) was calculated according to the desired weight, its average value was 20.0 kg/m2, which reinforces the desire to attain a thin pattern of beauty
Within the sphere of this study, the totality of the population with moderate/severe Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) scores presented dissatisfaction with corporal weight, being that the great majority (90.9%) presented the desire to loose more than 2 kg, a fact that indicates a clear desire to loose weight[18,19]

Summary

Introduction

Eating disorders are defined as deviances regarding eating behavior that may lead to death. It is estimated that the rate of lethality may reach 20%1. Among the eating behavior disorders, there has been an increase in the prevalence and incidence of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, among adolescents and young adult women[1]. Among young women, 20% find themselves at risk for developing these pathologies, for they present subclinical behavioral precursors[2]. The prevalence of anorexia nervosa varies from 0.5 to 3.7% and the prevalence of bulimia nervosa varies from 1.1 to 4.2%1, 3, presenting high rates in developed nations, where economic and sociocultural characteristics for triggering it off subsist, and in third world countries[4]. Studies have demonstrated an increase in its incidence in the past decades[5]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion