Relationships of body image and eating attitudes with sociodemographic, psychologic and nutritional factors in university students attending first classes

Abstract

Objective: In this study, we aimed to determine perception, thoughts and behaviors on nutrition and body image of students who have just started their university education, and study their relationships with anthropometric measures, food intakes and feelings about nutrition and body image. Material and Methods: A total of 157 students attending the first classes of Health (n:77) and Social (n:80) Sciences Departments of Ondokuz Mayıs University were included in this study. A questionnaire on demographic characteristics and some psychometric tests (Beck Depression Inventory, Eating Attitudes Test-40 and Beck Anxiety Inventory) were applied to all participants along with some anthropometric measurements. SPSS for Windows 10.0 Statistical Package Computer Program was used for the evaluation of all data. Results: Eating Attitudes Test Scores in females were significantly higher than males (17.67±7.85 vs. 12.68±5.30; p=0.005 respectively). Beck Anxiety Inventory score was significantly higher in students having any disease in their first degree relatives (18.44±10.10 vs. 13.38±8.67; p=0.002). When the relationships between psychometric tests with age and body weight were examined, depression and anxiety scores showed significant negative correlation only with age (p=0.005). In female students, the ratios of insufficiencies for daily carbohydrate and fat intakes along with energy intake were in high levels. Conclusion: Female students were more prone to develop eating disorders. Students with any health problems in their first degree relatives significantly preferred health sciences education. The results of this study must be taken into consideration by families, educators and social media in order to decrease the incidence of eating disorders since these affect physical and mental health of the adolescents adversely. © 2013 by Türkiye Klinikleri.