Risk of eating disorders and its association with psychological factors, body mass index, and physical activity in Mexican university students

Abstract

Abstract Background Disordered eating behaviors are factors associated with the risk of developing eating disorders, yet cause biological, psychological, and social malfunction and its prevalence has been identified in university students of both sexes. The aim of the current study was to determine the distribution of the risk of developing an eating disorder and its association with psychological variables such as, thin-ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, negative affect, drive for muscularity, as well as with body mass index (BMI) and physical activity in a non-probabilistic sample of Mexican university students. An additional objective was to evaluate the risk association with all of these variables by sex. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out between ending January and the beginning of May 2021 on a non-probabilistic sample of 395 students (65% females) aged to 18-29. Each one of the variables was assessed with previously validated questionnaires. Results The risk of developing an eating disorder (moderate and high) was 37.3% for females and 32.6% for males. With significant differences, drive for muscularity in males registered 21% vs. 7.8% in females. The risk analysis in females showed an association with thin-ideal internalization, negative affect, body dissatisfaction, BMI, and physical activity. In males, risk analysis revealed an association with drive for muscularity and negative affect. After the logistic regression analysis, internalization, BMI, and low level of physical activity showed an association in females, and the association with drive for muscularity and BMI was maintained in males. Conclusions Although eating disorder risk and associated factors have typically been a subject of study in adolescents, these findings show that they also have a significant presence in both male and female university students, and that they should be considered in future preventive interventions.