Comparison of the Prevalence of Eating Disorders among Dietetics Students and Students of Other Fields of Study at Selected Universities (Silesia, Poland)

Abstract

Background: Over the past few years, an increase in the incidence of eating disorders has been noted. An increase in the pace of life, an increase in the availability of a wide variety of food products, and, to a large extent, the involvement of mass media are cited as reasons for this phenomenon. The promotion of a slim figure by the mass media is equated with achieving success in life, but also the advertising of a wide selection of food products (often highly processed) can have a serious impact on the development of eating disorders. This phenomenon is particularly observed in industrialized Western countries. Objective: Therefore, it was decided to test and compare whether dietetics students are indeed more predisposed to developing eating disorders than students not in the nutrition field. Material and methods: the study included 310 individuals representing two equal groups of fields of study—dietetics and other students. The study used standardized questionnaire—EAT-26. Results: It was found that almost half (46%) of the respondents (both dietetics students and students of other majors) met at least one criterion out of three that could indicate the probable existence or susceptibility to an eating disorder. These individuals should see a specialist for further diagnosis. There was no significant effect of the field of study on the overall EAT-26 test score (p > 0.05). When this result was corrected for BMI values for those with the lowest scores on this indicator, the risk of eating disorders was found to be higher among students of majors other than dietetics (X2 = 13.572; V = 0.831 p = 0.001). Conclusions: Almost half of the respondents in both study groups showed a predisposition to eating disorders based on the EAT-26 test. Despite the presence of a correlation in individual responses that dietetics students are more predisposed to eating disorders, no such relationship was found according to the final EAT-26 test scores. However, it was observed that non-dietetics students who had low BMI values showed higher tendencies toward behaviors indicative of eating disorders.

Maternal Bonding as a Protective Factor for Orthorexia Nervosa Risk in Dietetics Students

“…The majority of our participants (71.0%) were of normal weight according to the WHO BMI classification, in line with other studies reporting similar rates for dietetics students [14,56] but in contrast with the lower rate (54.0%) reported by Rusil and Harith. Another study suggested that dietetics students are no more or less prone to negative attitudes towards obesity than their peers [57,58].…”

“…Previous studies reported a high prevalence of ON ranging from 41.9% to 88.7% [ 8 , 16 , 17 , 20 , 51 , 55 ], and a prevalence of ED ranging from 12.9% to 15.4% among dietetics students and dieticians [ 12 , 17 ]. An international study with data from 14 countries found that 77.0% of dieticians believe that EDs are a problem for dietetics students [ 11 ], and a study in South Africa observed a higher risk of EDs in dietetics students than in students in other fields [ 14 , 56 ]. Kassier and Veldman showed a higher risk of ED among first-year nutrition and dietetics students (33.3%) in South Africa compared with students in non-nutrition-related courses (16.9%) [ 14 ].…”

Eating disorders as a consequence of improperly managed weight reduction - a study among women with moderate physical activity

“…According to another study by one of the authors of the present study, Grajek, it appears that the risk of orthorexia is higher in people who are characterized by a rational diet and higher physical activity. In addition, according to data from the EAT-26 questionnaire, the authors of the studies estimated that there is a higher risk of eating disorders among people with specialized knowledge (dietetics students) [25,26].…”

Study the Effect of an Innovative Educational Program Promoting Healthy Food Habits on Eating Disorders, Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Body Composition in University Students

“…In addition, nutrition students are “fed” during classes with constant messages about proper nutrition. All of these factors can give rise to an obsession with food, proper eating habits, and outward appearance [ 34 ]. The importance of research on food habits and potential eating disorders in this population lies in the knowledge of both appropriate and inappropriate strategies and patterns.…”