Preocupação com a forma do corpo de graduandos de Farmácia-Bioquímica

Relação entre imagem corporal, atitudes para transtornos alimentares e estado nutricional em universitárias da área da saúde

RESUMO Objetivo Avaliar a relação entre a insatisfação da imagem corporal, atitudes para transtornos alimentares e o estado nutricional em universitárias da área da saúde. Métodos Estudo descritivo, transversal e quantitativo com 225 universitárias matriculadas em oito cursos da área da saúde. Para obtenção dos dados, utilizaram-se três instrumentos autoaplicáveis: o Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ), o Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) e um questionário construído pelas pesquisadoras contendo os dados autorreferidos de altura, peso atual e peso desejado, curso e idade. O estado nutricional foi estabelecido segundo o cálculo do índice de massa corporal. Para análise dos dados, aplicou-se o teste qui-quadrado de Pearson, adotando-se o nível de significância de 5%. Resultados A média de idade foi de 22,65 anos e a de IMC, de 23,05 kg/m2, estando a maioria das universitárias em eutrofia (69,8%). Quanto ao peso desejado, 74,7% gostariam de pesar menos; dessas, 64,9% eram eutróficas. Conforme o BSQ, 51,1% das universitárias tiveram algum grau de insatisfação corporal, e a prevalência de atitudes indicativas de transtornos alimentares, de acordo com o EAT-26, foi de 21,8%. Houve associação estatisticamente significativa entre: IMC e BSQ (p < 0,001); IMC e EAT-26 (p < 0,005); BSQ e EAT-26 (p < 0,001). Ao relacionar a insatisfação da imagem corporal e atitudes de risco para transtornos alimentares, percebeu-se que 87,75% das universitárias com EAT positivo também apresentaram algum grau de insatisfação corporal. Conclusão Evidenciou-se a existência de relação entre a insatisfação com a imagem corporal, atitudes de risco para transtornos alimentares e estado nutricional de universitárias da área da saúde.

Body weight concerns: Cross-national study and identification of factors related to eating disorders

Background

Body weight concerns are common among individuals with eating disorders, and this construct can be assessed using psychometric instruments. The Weight Concerns Scale (WCS) is commonly used to assess body weight concerns.

Aims

To evaluate the psychometric properties of the WCS with Brazilian, Portuguese, and Mozambican female college students; to estimate body weight concerns; and to identify factors related to eating disorders.

Methods

Confirmatory factor analysis was performed. Factorial, convergent, concurrent, and divergent validity, as well as reliability, were assessed. Cross-national invariance was tested by means of multigroup analysis. Structural models were tested using the WCS as the dependent variable, while demographic and academic variables and body mass index were used as independent variables. Logistic models were tested to estimate the likelihood of eating disorders being developed in specific groups.

Results

Participants were 2,068 female students. The psychometric properties of the WCS were adequate for the Portuguese sample; however, for the Brazilian and Mozambican samples, it was necessary to correlate the errors of two items to improve model fit. The WCS did not show cross-national invariance. The variables “thoughts about dropping out of college,” “medication use because of studies,” “medication and supplements use for body change,” “body mass index,” “socioeconomic status,” “age,” and “performance in course” were significant predictors of body weight concerns. Overall, 24.4% (95% confidence interval = 22.9–26.7) of the students were likely to develop eating disorders. Students under 21 years old, who use medication and supplements for body change, and who were classified as overweight/obese have increased likelihood of developing eating disorders.

Conclusion

The WCS showed good psychometric properties with Brazilian, Portuguese, and Mozambican students; however, it did not show cross-national invariance. We identified important aspects for investigating body weight concerns and factors related to eating disorders.

Factors that contribute to the body image concern of female college students

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the contribution of sociodemographic and labor variables and body mass index to body image concern.

METHODS

In order to estimate body image concern, the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) and the Weight Concerns Scale (WCS) were applied. A confirmatory factor analysis of scales was carried out. The reason χ2 by degree of freedom ratio (χ2/df ), Comparative Fit Index (CFI), Normed Fit Index (NFI), and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) were used. Convergent validity was assessed through the average variance extracted and composed reliability and the internal consistency through standardized Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α). A structural model was developed, and the body image concern was the second-order main construct. The model appropriation was evaluated based on the goodness-of-fit indices. The z test was used to estimate the significance of trajectories (β) using a 5% significance level.

RESULTS

Totally, 595 female college students participated in the study, with a mean age of 20.42 ± 2.44 years. The entire model, with the inclusion of all independent variables, showed unsatisfactory adjustment and was refined. The final model presented a satisfactory adjustment (χ2/df = 5.75; CFI = 0.87; NFI = 0.85; RMSEA = 0.09) with inclusion of medication use because of studies (β = 0.08; p = 0.04), academic performance (β = 0.09; p = 0.02), economic class (β = 0.08; p = 0.03), and body mass index (β = 0.44; p < 0.001). This model explained 22% of body image concern.

CONCLUSION

Medication use due to studies, academic performance, economic class and body mass index significantly contribute to body image concern.