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Associated Factors of Unhealthy Eating Patterns among Spanish University Students by Gender

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2013

Ana Sepulveda ,
José Antonio Carrobles  and
Ana M. Gandarillas
Ana Sepulveda*
Affiliation:
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain) Instituto de Salud Pública. Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain)
José Antonio Carrobles
Affiliation:
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain)
Ana M. Gandarillas
Affiliation:
Instituto de Salud Pública. Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain)
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Ana R. Sepúlveda Facultad de Psicología. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Campus de Cantoblanco. 28049 Madrid. (Spain). Phone: +34-914975214. E-mail: anarosa.sepulveda@uam.es
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Abstract

This study has examined bio-socio-demographic and psychopathological factors probably associated with unhealthy eating patterns among university students and to estimate a multifactorial model following the associated factors by gender. Adjusted odds ratios were calculated to describe associations on basis of Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) stratified by gender in a representative sample of Spanish university students (n = 2551). The high EDI scorers for both sexes presented higher prevalence of dieting, body dissatisfaction, levels of psychopathology and lower self-esteem than the low EDI scorers. The results suggest that older students and higher self-esteem scores present lower scores in the EDI. In the female population, depression, paranoid dimension, dieting and body dissatisfaction were associated with population with unhealthy eating patterns. In the male sample, dieting, body dissatisfaction and interpersonal sensibility were also associated with unhealthy eating patterns. The results corroborate that abnormal eating patterns tend to affect specific vulnerable groups. We do not know the precise mechanisms through which these risk behaviors and attitudes, such as dieting or body dissatisfaction, may facilitate the later development of an eating disorder.

Este estudio ha examinado los factores bio-socio-demográficos y psicopatológicos asociados a patrones alimentarios no saludables entre los universitarios y ha estimado un modelo multifactorial siguiendo los factores asociados según género. Los odds ratios ajustados mediante regresión logística fueron calculados para describir las asociaciones en base al Inventario de Trastornos del Comportamiento Alimentario (EDI) estratificado por género en una muestra representativa de universitarios españoles (n = 2551). El grupo que puntúa alto en el EDI presenta mayor prevalencia de conductas de dieta, insatisfacción corporal, mayores niveles de psicopatología y una menor autoestima en ambos sexos. Los resultados sugieren que estudiantes de mayor edad y puntuaciones elevadas en autoestima presentan bajas puntuaciones en el EDI. En las mujeres, la depresión, la dimensión paranoica, la dieta y la insatisfacción corporal fueron asociadas a la población con patrones alimentarios no saludables. En los varones, la dieta, la insatisfacción corporal y la sensibilidad interpersonal fueron asociadas con mayor riesgo de presentar patrones alimentarios no saludables. Los resultados corroboran que los hábitos alimentarios desestructurados tienden a afectar a grupos vulnerables específicos. Se desconoce los mecanismos precisos por el cual conductas y actitudes de riesgo, tales como la dieta o la insatisfacción corporal, puedan facilitar el desarrollo posterior de un trastorno alimentario.

Keywords

unhealthy eating patternseating disordersdietingpsychopathological symptomsuniversity studentsgenderpatrones alimentarios no saludabletrastornos del comportamiento alimentarioconductas de dietasíntomas psicopatológicosestudiantes universitariosgénero
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 13 , Issue 1 , May 2010 , pp. 364 - 375
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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