Eating disorders among middle school students in a Chinese population: Prevalence and associated clinical correlates

Assessment of Binge Eating Behavior, Body Shape Concerns, and Associated Factors among Female Adolescents of Northern Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Globally, binge eating behavior has emerged as a significant public health concern, especially among female adolescents. Body shape concerns in female adolescents can lead to body dissatisfaction and other mental health issues. Using a cross-sectional study design, we evaluated the frequency of binge eating behavior, body shape concerns, and associated factors among 400 female adolescents. We utilized a pretested Arabic binge eating scale (BES) and a body shape questionnaire-shorter version (BSQ-8C) to collect the required data. We performed Spearman's correlation analysis to find the strength and direction of the correlation between the BES and BSQ-8C scores. Finally, we applied binomial logistic regression analysis to identify the predictors of body shape concerns. Of the studied participants, 5.5% and 6.2% had medium and severe binge eating behavior. We found a significant positive correlation between the BES and BSQ-8C scores (rho = 0.434, p < 0.001). Also, we found that body shape concerns were significantly higher among the monthly family income category of 5000 to 7000 SAR (p = 0.005), the severe binge eating categories (p = 0.009), and obese adolescents (p = 0.001). The present study results can be applied to the development of focused interventions and strategies to address these concerns in this group.

Eating Attitudes, Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in Dietetic Students and Association with Body Mass Index and Body Fat Percent: A Cross-Sectional Study

University students face challenges impacting psychology and dietary choices. The present work examined the association between eating attitudes, stress, anxiety, and depression to body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage in Dietetics students. Respondents completed the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26), the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS), a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire, and the Hellenic Physical Activity Questionnaire (HPAQ). Anthropometry and a bioimpedance analysis were performed. The EAT-26 score was 11 (8-16) and the DASS score was 20 (11-36) (medians and interquartile ranges). Disordered eating was detected in 20% of men and 15% of women. Depressive symptomatology was detected in 30% of males and 23% of females, anxiety in 35% of males and 40% of females, and stress in 29% of males and 35% of females. EAT-26 and DASS scores were highly correlated (r = 0. 0.221, p = 0.001). The EAT-26 oral control subscale (B = 0.430, SE = 0.184, p = 0.026) was positively correlated with BMI in men in the models, adjusted for age, physical activity, and Mediterranean Diet Score, while no association was documented for % body fat. The DASS depression score was not related to BMI in multi-adjusted models. In conclusion, disordered eating, depression, stress, and anxiety are present in this sample of university students. The relationship between disordered eating and BMI needs consideration in programs targeting overweight or underweight in Dietetics students.

Nutrient intake, alcohol consumption, emotional eating and anxiety in women nursing students

Objective

The aim of the study was to analyze dietary habits, alcohol habits, emotional eating and anxiety in a sample of Spanish nursing students. These students appear to be essential to the field of public health and to teaching their future patients about their own good practices.

Methods

A cross-sectional investigation was conducted. Participants completed the Emotional Eater Questionnaire, the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) test to evaluate alcohol intake, the State-Trait anxiety Inventory (STAI) test to measure levels of anxiety as a state and anxiety as a trait, and self-reported sociodemographic data. Following classroom instruction, three-day food records were used to gauge food intake.

Results

The calorie intake for the macronutrients Ca, Mg, K, and Fe were below the Recommended Dietary Intakes (DRI) and imbalanced. The percentage E of proteins was 132.7 % more than recommended, while the percentage of carbohydrates is below the recommended level. Dietary energy consumption barely equaled 78 % of the total energy consumed by this sex and age group. With respect to emotional eating, nursing women students were low emotional eater (44 %) > emotional eater (30 %) > non-emotional eater (22.7 %). The students' emotional eating is substantially connected with fast food and sweets, or less healthy food intake behaviors. According to the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT), 82.7 % of female students used alcohol on a regular basis in a low-risk manner.

Conclusion

The findings demonstrated a link between anxiety and dietary fat intake. Trait anxiety was negatively connected with emotional eating (EE), whereas state anxiety was positively correlated with meat consumption. It is crucial to consider these findings when creating prevention/intervention plans and profiles of harmful eating behaviors.

Translation and validation of a Chinese version of the body talk scale for women and men

Body talk has received increasing research attention in recent years, with accumulating evidence supporting the link between body talk and eating and body image disturbances. However, research on body talk in China is still relatively scarce and generally focused on fat talk, especially in women, and much remains unknown about muscle talk and positive body talk for both Chinese women and men. To promote a better understanding of body talk in the Chinese context, the present study adapted the Body Talk Scale (BTS) into Chinese Mandarin (i.e., C-BTS) and evaluated the factor structure and psychometric properties of the C-BTS in Chinese adult women and men. The English version of the BTS was translated into Chinese Mandarin with standard procedures. With 300 Chinese women (Mage = 29.48 years, SD = 7.26) and 300 men (Mage = 29.36 years, SD = 6.81), we examined the factor structure and gender invariance of the C-BTS, as well as internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, and construct validity, including convergent, concurrent, and incremental validity of the C-BTS. The results indicated that, consistent with the development study of the BTS, the C-BTS had three subscales (i.e., Negative Fat Talk, Negative Muscle Talk, and Positive Body Talk) and good reliability and validity. The findings demonstrate that the C-BTS can be a useful measure of body talk in both Chinese women and men.

Risk factors of disordered eating in adolescent girls from a community sample: a multidimensional approach

BACKGROUND

Eating disorders (ED) are severe, chronic, and complex in nature mental illnesses that are difficult to treat. One of the ways to stave off EDs is by screening among adolescents to preempt the development of clinical forms of ED in risk groups.

AIM

1) to investigate the prevalence of ED risk among adolescent girls and compare subgroups at high and low risk of ED; 2) to investigate using a multidimensional approach those variables that can interact with temperament and character traits to predict ED symptomatology.

METHODS

The cross-sectional observational self-report study of a community sample of adolescent girls 1217 years old (n=298; M=14.771.13) was carried out in the city of Ryazan, Russia. The Russian versions of Eating Attitudes Test and Cloningers Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised were used. In addition, an original questionnaire (Risk Factors of Eating Disorders) was developed. Regression models (to test for significant moderation) and path analysis (to test for significant mediations) were used.

RESULTS

Girls at risk of developing EDs are characterized by a heightened level of concern about weight and dissatisfaction with their body, tend to suffer from low self-directedness, higher novelty seeking and tendency to higher harm avoidance, display high alexithymia, experience self-distrust, negative emotionality and are dissatisfied with family relationships. They also suffer from low self-esteem and tend to be perfectionism and engage in risk behavior. Significant moderating effects were uncovered between the following ED risk factors: (1) self-distrust/risk behavior and BMI; (2) alexithymia/negative emotionality/self-esteem and cooperativeness; and (3) negative emotionality/risk behavior and self-transcendence. Family relationship dissatisfaction mediates the association between self-directedness/cooperativeness/self-transcendence and disordered eating.

CONCLUSION

There are various mutual influences between the numerous ED risk and prevention factors, which all together determine the paths between the predictors and final outcome.