Disorders In University Students Research Articles

Healthy Nutrition Attitude, Sleep Quality and Musculoskeletal Disorders in University Students During Covid-19 Pandemic

This study aims to college students' healthy nutrition attitude, sleep status, and musculoskeletal disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 In total, 165 university students participated in this research. The students filled out the Attitude Scale for Healthy Nutrition, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire. The attitude toward healthy eating of 34 (20.6%) students was found to be moderate, 100 (60.6%) high, and 31 (18.8%) very high. There was no meaningful difference between groups according to having COVID-19 disease (p>0.05). Among the participants, 43 (26.06%) students were found to be good and 122 (73.94%) to be poor in terms of sleep quality. The global PSQI and sleep duration subgroup scores of those who had COVID-19 were statistically higher (p=0.010 and 0.043, respectively). The five regions with the most musculoskeletal symptoms were the upper back (78.18%), lower back (70.91%), neck (69.09%), right shoulder (55.76%) and left shoulder (49.09%). Significant differences were observed in the scores of the right wrist (p=0.009), left wrist (p=0.007), right lower leg (p=0.024), left lower leg (p=0.026), right foot (p=0.001), and left foot (p=0.009). The COVID-19 pandemic partially affected university students in terms of healthy eating attitudes and, to a greater extent, in terms of sleep and musculoskeletal disorders.

Long-Term Outcomes and Cost-Effectiveness of an Internet-Based Self-Help Intervention for Social Anxiety Disorder in University Students: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is widespread among university students and is associated with high costs for the society. While unguided internet- and mobile-based interventions (IMIs) may have short-term effects in reducing SAD symptoms, evidence for their long-term efficacy and cost-effectiveness is still limited. The aim of this study is to examine the 6-month outcomes of an IMI for university students with SAD. Participants were recruited via mass mails sent to enrolled students and included if they were at least 18 years old, met the diagnostic criteria of SAD in a structured clinical interview for DSM-IV axis I disorders (SCID-I), and provided written informed consent. In a prospective study designed as a two-armed randomized-controlled trial, 200 students (mean age 26.7 years) diagnosed with SAD were randomly assigned to an IMI or a waitlist control (WLC) condition. The IMI consisted of nine weekly sessions based on the cognitive-behavioral treatment model for social phobia by Clark and Wells. The primary outcome was SAD symptom severity assessed via the Social Phobia Scale (SPS) and the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS). A health economic evaluation from a societal and healthcare perspective examined the costs related to the symptom-free status and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained. Statistically significant differences in SAD symptom severity previously found at posttreatment favoring the IMI were maintained at a 6-month follow-up [SIAS (Cohen’s d = 0.59 ; 95% CI, 0.30, 0.87) and SPS (Cohen’s d = 0.83 ; 95% CI, 0.54, 1.1)]. From a societal perspective, at a willingness to pay (WTP) of €0, the intervention was found to have a 92% and 93% probability of cost-effectiveness compared with the WLC per symptom-free status and QALY gained, respectively. From a healthcare perspective, the likelihood of cost-effectiveness of the intervention was 97% per symptom-free status at a WTP of €1000 (US$1326) and 96% per QALY gained at a WTP of €6000 (US$7956). This IMI is effective in treating university students with SAD and has an acceptable likelihood of cost-effectiveness compared with WLC from a societal perspective. This intervention can be integrated into university healthcare to reach students with SAD as it is scalable, shows a high probability of cost-effectiveness, and overcomes known treatment barriers. This trial is registered with DRKS00011424.

Adverse childhood experiences predict internet gaming disorder in university students: the mediating role of resilience.

To investigate the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and internet gaming disorder (IGD) and the mediating role of resilience in the relationship between these two factors. The adverse childhood experience scale, resilience scale and IGD Scale were administered to 9349 university students. Correlations and mediating effects were calculated among these scores. After controlling for sex and age, significant correlations among adverse childhood experiences, resilience and IGD were observed; resilience was a partial mediator variable in the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and IGD. The more adverse childhood experiences an individual has, the less their mental toughness and the greater their tendency to become addicted to internet games. Adverse childhood experiences can effectively predict IGD, and the risk of becoming addicted to the internet can be decreased by increasing one's mental toughness.

Implementation of an Ethics Committee in a University Mental Health Clinic.

Mental disorders in university students are very frequent, therefore higher education institutions have established in-campus mental healthcare centres. These clinics have particular characteristics that differ from other mental health centres, as they report to and represent an educational institution, while at the same time looking after the interests and well-being of patients requesting assistance, thus generating unique bioethical conflicts. Ethics Committees are useful tools to offer support to mental health professionals in making ethical decisions. In order to respond to these issues, it was decided that an Ethics Committee would be created in the mental health clinic of a private university in Mexico City. This article describes the implementation process for this Committee, its duties and scope, as well as the case work and review methodology. A list of the most frequent ethical conflicts is attached, jointly with the ethical analysis of the cases treated throughout the year and a half or work by the Committee.

Traditional music education on alleviating bipolar disorder in college students

BackgroundWith the rapid development of society and the acceleration of people’s pace of life, the mental pressure of college students is increasing day by day, and bipolar disorder has become an important health problem they face. Traditional music education is regarded as an effective means of psychotherapy, which can alleviate emotional disorders. However, the current research on traditional music education in alleviating college students with bipolar disorder is still in the development stage, so this study attempts to explore the alleviating effect of traditional music education on college students with bipolar disorder.Subjects and MethodsThe study designed an experimental group to receive a six-month course of traditional music education and a control group to receive a six-month course of traditional psychotherapy. SPSS23.0 software was used for the correlation test, and P<0.05 indicated that the difference was statistically significant. Both groups of students were tested before and after, and their changes in several aspects were analyzed.ResultsThe experimental group showed significant improvement in the alleviation of affective disorder, the improvement of self-adjustment ability, and the alleviation of anxiety and depression symptoms, and the difference was significant (P<0.05). However, the improvement of the control group was relatively low, and there were still some difficulties in emotional expression and social ability.ConclusionsTraditional music education has a remarkable effect on alleviating bipolar disorder in college students, and it has a better effect than traditional psychotherapy. At the same time, it is of great significance to popularize and apply traditional music education in the field of college students’ mental health.

Intervention effect analysis of alprazolam combined with biofeedback therapy on travel anxiety disorder in college students

BackgroundDue to economic pressure and environmental impact, college students often hesitate when planning their travels, resulting in anxiety to some extent. The conventional treatment method has relatively little effect on the treatment of college students’ travel anxiety disorder, so the study will use alprazolam combined with biofeedback therapy to intervene and treat college students’ travel anxiety disorder.Subjects and Methods 72 college students with travel anxiety disorder from a certain university were selected as the research subjects and divided into Group C and Group D according to the driver allocation method. Group C received traditional medication or psychological intervention, while Group D received a combination of alprazolam and biofeedback therapy. After the experiment, the data was processed using SPSS 20.0 statistical software.ResultsThe number of effective cases in Group D reached 30, with an effective rate of 95.38%, while Group C only had 81.54%, significantly lower than Group D; After treatment, the anxiety score of Group D was 29.1 ± 3.6, lower than Group C’s 39.0 ± 3.8, and significantly lower than the 41.7 ± 3.9 before the experiment; After treatment, the number of nausea and vomiting in Group D was 1, appetite loss was 3, and hair loss was 2 points, both lower than those in Group C. The incidence of adverse reactions after treatment was relatively low.ConclusionsThe combination of alprazolam and biofeedback therapy is effective in the intervention and treatment of travel anxiety disorder in college students.

Effect of cross-cultural education combined with music therapy on anxiety disorders

BackgroundAnxiety disorder usually refers to anxiety disorder. Common anxiety disorders include social phobia and separation anxiety disorder. Different anxiety disorders have different incidence rates. At present, the pathogenesis of anxiety disorder is not yet clear, but its common causes include genetic and psychological factors. Music therapy treats diseases from both physiological and psychological perspectives.Subjects and MethodsIn order to analyze the relief effect of cross-cultural education combined with music therapy on academic anxiety disorder in university students, the study selected 80 students with anxiety disorder. They were randomly divided into two groups, the observation group and the control group, with 40 students in each group. Among them, the control group only received cross-cultural education, while the observation group received music therapy based on cross-cultural education. Both groups were treated three times a week for a total of 8 weeks. After the treatment, the study evaluated the treatment results using the Self Rating Anxiety Scale, Self Rating Depression Scale, and SPSS23.0.ResultsThe results showed that there was a significant decrease in anxiety and depression scores between the observation group and the control group students after treatment, and there was a significant difference compared to before treatment (P<0.05). In addition, after treatment, the anxiety and depression scores of the observation group students decreased more than those of the control group, and the difference between the two was significant (P<0.05).ConclusionsIn summary, the combination of cross-cultural education and music therapy in universities has a certain alleviating effect on students’ academic anxiety disorder.

Optimization of mathematics teaching and learning for the treatment of anxiety disorders in college students

BackgroundThe study attempts to integrate Civic and Political Psychoeducation to optimize the teaching content of traditional mathematics courses in colleges and universities, in order to alleviate college students’ anxiety in the process of mathematics learning, as the difficulty of mathematics courses in colleges and universities increases.Subjects and MethodsAs subjects for this study, 120 students majoring in Mathematics Applications at one of China’s universities were chosen. The 120 college students were randomly and equally divided into two groups, the control group and the experimental group, with 60 students in each group. The students in the experimental group were taught utilizing the Civic Psychology intervention in their mathematics courses, whereas the students in the control group were taught using the usual mathematics lecture approach. The trial ran for a semester. After one semester, the students’ anxiety psychological ratings under various instructional approaches were compared. The data changes during the experiment were recorded and analyzed using SPSS23.0.ResultsThe study’s findings demonstrate that after one semester of mathematics instruction, the average anxiety level of the experimental group dropped from 28.56 to 5.21, whereas the average anxiety score of the control group did not change appreciably. It can be demonstrated that the experimental group’s teaching style can more successfully ease college students’ anxiety during the arithmetic learning process.ConclusionsA college mathematics teaching strategy that mixes ideological and psychological education can successfully reduce college students’ anxiety during the mathematics learning process.

Inheritance and development of ethnic dance culture on anxiety disorders in college students

BackgroundAnxiety disorder is one of the common psychological problems faced by college students, which has a negative impact on their studies and lives. As a traditional cultural form, folk dance not only carries the essence of national culture, but also has potential mental health benefits by means of body movement, music, and emotional expression. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore the efficacy of the inheritance and development of folk-dance culture on the anxiety disorder of college students.Subjects and MethodsThe study first involved a subset of participants receiving anxiety disorders treated with a folk-dance intervention. The intervention can be conducted through classroom teaching, group activities and other forms. It mainly includes personalized exercise, key training, emotional regulation, etc. In the traditional drug treatment of the control group, the effect of the folk dance was analyzed during the experiment.ResultsThe analysis found that the incidence of anxiety disorders decreased by 65.87% after the experimental group participants received the folk-dance intervention 83.23% of the patients showed significant disease improvement. Among the participants in the control group, only 62.36% of the patients with anxiety disorders had improved. It was 20.87% lower than the experimental group.ConclusionsThe experiment found that by participating in folk dance activities, college students can release tension through body movement while experiencing traditional culture, and adjust their emotional state with the help of the rhythm and expression form of music. Therefore, participating in the inheritance and development of folk-dance culture can produce positive effects on the intervention of college students.

Alleviating anxiety disorders in college students through football training and competition system reform

BackgroundCollege students frequently grapple with anxiety stemming from academic and employment pressures, often leading to the development of anxiety disorders over time. Football training, as a team sport, not only enhances physical fitness but also aids in anxiety reduction during physical activities. Nonetheless, existing football training and competition systems face challenges that undermine their effectiveness in treating anxiety. This study investigates the potential of reforming the football training and competition system as an intervention to address anxiety disorders in college students.Subjects and MethodsA study was conducted on 67 college students with anxiety disorders, who were divided into an observation group and a control group. The control group adopts traditional methods, while the observation group adopts the reformed football training and competition system for sports intervention. After the experiment, SPSS 20.0 software was used for statistical analysis.ResultsAfter the observation group experiment, the somatization score of college students was 17.10, the anxiety score was 15.25, and the interpersonal sensitivity score was 14.31. The neuroticism score was 11.66, which was significantly better than the pre-experimental score. Meanwhile, after the experimental intervention, 13.4% of 9 people had anxiety factor scores greater than 2. Significantly lower than the 40.3% before the experiment.ConclusionsThe reform of the football training and competition system proves highly effective as an intervention strategy for addressing anxiety disorders among college students.

Mental health based on ecological psychology on college students with personality disorder

BackgroundIn the current field of contemporary psychology, ecological psychology has become a new theoretical orientation, believing that everything in the ecosystem interacts and is interrelated. Depressive Personality Disorder (DPD) is a common and severe mental illness that is common among college students worldwide. Exploring the factors influencing depression among college students from the perspective of ecological psychology, with a focus on the effects of attachment anxiety, self-esteem cognition, and academic adaptation on depression among Chinese college students.Subjects and MethodsIn this study, 452 college students from Nanjing University in Jiangsu Province were assessed by Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), Adult Attachment Scale (AAS) and Self-esteem and Academic Adjustment Scale (SES). Amos software was used to conduct confirmatory factor analysis on the survey results.ResultsThere were significant differences in the dimensions of academic adaptation, self-esteem and adult attachment (P=0.000, P<0.05), and there were significant differences between gender and total score of depression (t= -2.098, P<0.05). Attachment anxiety not only predicts depression directly but also indirectly through self-esteem. Academic adaptation not only predicts depression directly but also influences depressive anxiety through the mediating effects of self-esteem and attachment.ConclusionsAcademic adjustment, depression disorder, attachment anxiety and self-esteem were significantly correlated with depression disorder in college students. Self-esteem plays a mediating role between attachment anxiety and depression, and attachment anxiety and self-esteem play a mediating role between academic adaptation and depression.Acknowledgement2021 Research Project on Internet Ideological and Political Work in Guangdong Colleges and Universities (No. GDWL21YB99).

Music culture inheritance and education on bipolar disorder in college students

BackgroundBipolar disorder, also known as bipolar disorder, is a common mental disorder that combines manic or mild manic episodes with depressive episodes. With the development of society, the proportion of college students suffering from bipolar disorder is gradually increasing, which has a serious impact on their physical and mental health.Subjects and MethodsIn order to analyze the impact of the inheritance of ethnic music culture and music education in universities on bipolar disorder among college students, the study selected 60 college students with bipolar disorder and randomly divided them into two groups, the research group and the control group, with 30 students in each group. The control group mainly used quetiapine for treatment, while the treatment group added psychological intervention therapy for ethnic music culture inheritance and music education based on drug treatment. The treatment cycle for both groups is one month. In addition, the study selected the Self Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and SPSS23.0 to evaluate the various conditions of patients.Results The results showed that after treatment, the mental state and quality of life scores of both groups of students were increasing, and the scores of the treatment group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P<0.05). In addition, there was a significant decrease in depression and anxiety scores in both groups of students, and the scores in the treatment group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05).ConclusionsFrom this, it can be seen that the inheritance of ethnic music culture and music education in universities are beneficial for alleviating the bipolar disorder of college students.Acknowledgement2022 High-level Talent Introduction of Nanchang Vocational University-level scientific Research start-up Project (Doctor) (No. 2022-2).

The psychological intervention of Western Symphony courses in anxiety disorders among college students

BackgroundAnxiety disorder among college students is currently the main psychological problem, which seriously affects physical and mental health and even leads to the occurrence of adverse events. The anxiety of college students is in the transitional period from adolescence to adulthood, and the main factors that cause anxiety mainly come from three pressures family, school, and society. This study aims to explore intervention and treatment plans for anxiety disorders in college students.Subjects and MethodsFirstly, 1745 freshmen were selected from a certain university and are familiar with the basic situation of the survey. Secondly, a regression model for anxiety risk was established using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The model was divided into male and female groups and regression analysis was conducted on the growth environment, an only child, parental marital status, and childhood abuse. Finally, SPSS23.0 was used for data analysis and t-test.ResultsThe logistic regression analysis of anxiety-related factors showed that the analysis results of growth environment, only child status, and parental marital status were all P>0.05, with no statistical significance. The analysis result of the positive answer in childhood abuse experiences is P<0.001, which is statistically significant. Indicating that childhood abuse is an important factor for anxiety risk.ConclusionsEarly attention and assistance are needed for the discovery, prevention, and treatment of anxiety disorders in college students. On the one hand, parents need to pay attention and avoid childhood abuse, and on the other hand, college education also provides understanding and early intervention in students’ basic situation.

Intervention of intelligent social patterns combined with cognitive psychology on social disorders in college students

BackgroundSocial anxiety disorder is a common mental disorder characterized by concerns about being evaluated, denied, or embarrassed in social situations. In recent years, with the increasing number of college students born in the 2000s, social anxiety disorder has shown an upward trend, which has a negative impact on their mental health and social function.Subjects and MethodsIn order to better help the post-00s college students to deal with social anxiety disorders, the research combines intelligent social mode and cognitive psychology. Intelligent social networking mode uses computer and Internet technology to provide a virtual social environment to simulate real social situations. Cognitive psychology intervention focuses on individual thinking, beliefs and cognitive strategies, and helps to reduce social anxiety by adjusting negative thinking patterns and establishing positive self-evaluation.Results According to SPSS23.0 analysis, intelligent social mode can provide students with safe and controllable practice opportunities for those with social anxiety disorder, and reduce fear and discomfort in real social situations. In addition, 68 percent of the participants believed that the cognitive psychology intervention can help them adjust their negative thinking and increase their confidence.Conclusions Intelligent social model combined with cognitive psychology intervention method can not only relieve participants’ anxiety in social situations, but also promote their self-growth and mental health development. The results show that this method can help promote the mental health development of “post-00 s” college students, help them better adapt to and integrate into the social environment, and improve their quality of life and happiness.Acknowledgement2021 Guangdong University Ideological and political education project (No. 2021GXSZ040).

The positive impact of ideological and political concepts in curriculum on anxiety disorder among college students

BackgroundAnxiety neurosis is a common type of neurosis characterized by anxiety. Genetic, biological, and psychological factors can all lead to the occurrence of anxiety disorder. In order to improve the treatment effect of anxiety disorder, the study integrates the educational concept of curriculum ideological and political education into the classroom education of college students, analyzes the positive impact of curriculum ideological and political education on the group of college anxiety disorder patients, and provides more treatment interventions for the treatment of anxiety disorder.Subjects and Methods160 college students with anxiety disorders were selected as experimental research subjects. The experimental group received psychological education on ideological and political concepts in the curriculum, while the control group received psychological education on traditional teaching concepts. The Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL90), and Self-Acceptance Questionnaire (SAQ) were used for evaluation.ResultsThe teaching integration of ideological and political courses has a positive impact on alleviating the anxiety and depression of college students (P<0.05), and can effectively improve the patient’s self-acceptance level (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the effect on anxiety is more significant (P<0.05).ConclusionsFrom the perspective of educational psychology, the integration of teaching and curriculum ideological and political education has a positive impact on the intervention of anxiety disorder in college students, and all scales have higher scores than the control group.

Mathematical culture under educational psychology on anxiety disorder of college students

BackgroundAnxiety disorder is a common psychological problem among college students, which seriously affects their study and life quality. As a special cultural background, the influence of mathematics culture on the anxiety disorder of college students has not been fully studied.Subjects and MethodsThe study tries to integrate mathematics culture based on educational psychology to explore its effect on the prevention and treatment of anxiety disorders in college students. The experiment included 50 college students with anxiety disorder, half of whom were the experimental group of college students receiving educational psychology and mathematical culture treatment, and the other half were the control group of college students receiving general educational psychology rehabilitation treatment. Both groups of students were treated together for one semester in the same environment. After the deadline, anxiety items in the Stanford Acute Stress Response Questionnaire (SASRQ) were measured, and the higher the score, the more severe the anxiety symptoms.ResultsThe experimental results showed that after some time, the anxiety patients in the experimental group decreased from 25 to 8, the anxiety symptoms were effectively controlled, and the comprehensive score was 8.5 points. In the control group, there were still 18 students with anxiety, only 7 patients were reduced, the treatment effect was not good, and the comprehensive score was 15.8 points.ConclusionsThe mathematical cultural education based on educational psychology proposed in this study has a positive effect on the anxiety disorder of college students. It timely adjusts the students’ attitude toward mathematics learning and reduces the degree of anxiety disorder of college students.

Art appreciation teaching reform in higher education on college students’ anxiety disorders

BackgroundAt present, the problem of anxiety disorders among college students is becoming increasingly serious. The study aims to analyze the therapeutic effect of the reform of art appreciation teaching in colleges and universities on the anxiety disorder of college students.Subjects and MethodsThis study selected college students of a university as research subjects and divided them into an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group received the reform of art appreciation teaching in colleges and universities, and the control group continued traditional teaching. Data were processed using the statistical data analysis software SAS, and the t-test was used to assess the treatment effect.ResultsThe experimental group was significantly lower than the control group in the degree of anxiety (M=2.68 in the experimental group, M=3.92 in the control group, P<0.001). After the treatment, the anxiety level of students in the experimental group was significantly reduced, which indicates that the reform of art appreciation teaching has a positive effect on the treatment of anxiety disorders.ConclusionsThe results of the study show that the reform of art appreciation teaching in colleges and universities has a significant effect in treating anxiety disorders in college students. This provides useful information for colleges and universities to promote the development of relevant teaching reforms and psychological support measures to alleviate college students’ anxiety disorders and promote their mental health and personal development.

Alleviation effect of ideological and political education on psychological obstacles of college students

BackgroundThe increasing pressure of social competition has gradually increased the pressure on the college student community. The psychological problems of college students have become increasingly prominent, even becoming an important factor affecting campus stability in some universities. Although traditional treatment methods are effective in alleviating psychological disorders in college students, long-term treatment has developed drug resistance or reduced treatment effectiveness. Therefore, the study aims to alleviate the psychological barriers of college students by introducing ideological and political education from the perspective of educational psychology.Subjects and MethodsA total of 52 college students with psychological disorders were selected as the research subjects and randomly divided into H and I groups. Group H adopted traditional treatment methods, while Group I introduced ideological and political education on this basis. The experiment lasted for one year, and after the experiment, independent t-tests were conducted on the samples using SPSS 20.0 and data analysis was conducted on the samples.ResultsAfter the experiment, the somatization score of Group I was 1.30 ± 0.45 points, the interpersonal sensitivity score was 1.56 ± 0.51 points, the paranoid score was 1.44 ± 0.48 points, the mental parallelism score was 1.49 ± 0.61 points, and the terror score was 1.40 ± 0.35 points, all lower than those of Group H and before the experiment.ConclusionsFrom the perspective of educational psychology, ideological and political education can effectively alleviate psychological barriers for college students.

Ideological and political teaching based on Morita therapy on relieving anxiety disorder of college students

BackgroundAnxiety disorder is a common psychological problem in college students. Its serious consequences include academic impairment, social disturbance, health problems, life quality decline and employment difficulties.Subjects and Methods 150 college students diagnosed with anxiety disorder were selected to participate in the study and assessed by the Stanford Acute Stress Response Questionnaire and the 3-minute Disorder Assessment Scale. SPSS 23.0 was used for data analysis.ResultsThe results showed that the students who received ideological and political teaching based on Morita therapy made significant progress in the reduction of anxiety symptoms. Before treatment, participants’ anxiety scores averaged 6.4 (s=1.3), which dropped to 3.2 (s=1.1) after treatment. At the same time, scores of anxiety levels were also significantly reduced, with an average score of 25.1 (s=3.9) before treatment and 13.8 (s=2.7) after treatment. In addition to the improvement in anxiety symptoms, the mental health of the participants was significantly improved. Before treatment, participants reported an average mental health score of 58.2 (s=6.5), which improved to 80.6 (s=5.3) after treatment. This shows that it has a significant effect on improving the mental health of college students.Conclusions The study shows that ideological and political teaching based on Morita therapy plays an important role in relieving anxiety disorder in college students. By providing a balanced teaching environment and teaching Vipassana and self-awareness skills, this therapy helps college students effectively cope with anxiety and promote their mental health and overall development.

How many university students perceive themselves to be overweight/obese and how many have eating disorders during remote education due to COVID-19? A cross-sectional study

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic caused a health crisis worldwide that ended up affecting the daily lives of university students. Considering prevention strategies for contagion and decreased physical activity, altered perceptions of body image were seen that may negatively disrupt their eating habits. Methods: Our cross-sectional survey-based study (N=180) had the objective to determine the association between body image perception and the risk of eating disorders in university students during the pandemic. We surveyed male and female university students aged 18-35 years using the Montero Anatomical Models questionnaire and the Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT-26) as instruments. Results: Most of the university students were female (67.8%) with an average age of 22.8±3.9 years. 51.1% perceived themselves as overweight and 53.9% were at low risk of an eating disorder. This mainly affected women (47.5%), the 21-30 age group (43.2%), and those who perceived themselves as underweight (58.9%) or obese (50%). Likewise, we found differences in body image perception between genders (p=0.009), and no association was found between body image and eating disorders (p=0.661). Conclusion: Even though most university students perceived themselves as overweight, they had a low risk of an eating disorder. Considering the influence that body image perception has on their lifestyle, it is necessary to promote healthy eating habits and self-esteem strategies to prevent the appearance of eating disorders due to body dissatisfaction in the context of the “new normal”.