Eating Behaviour and Orthorexia Nervosa (healthy eating obsession) In Nursing Students: Cross-Sectional Analytic Study

Abstract

Objectives: This cross-sectional study aimed to determine eating behaviors and the prevalence of orthorexia nervosa (ON) among nursing students, factors associated with eating behaviors and ON, and the relationship between eating behaviors and ON. Methods: The study sample included 181 students selected using a method for a sample with a known population with 90% power range and 95% confidence level. The data were collected using a Personal Information Form, Eating Attitude Test (EAT-40), and Orthorexia-11 Scale (ORTHO-11). The resulting data were evaluated using SPSS 15.0, a software package for statistics. The data were analyzed using Student t test, chi-square test, and Pearson correlation analysis in frequency, mean, and percentage, and the type 1 error level was accepted to be p>0.05. Results: Of the students, 84.5% were found to be at risk according to EAT-40, and 45.3% were found to be at the risk of developing ON. Their EAT-40 mean score was 17.76±12.34 and ORTHO-11 mean score was 27.34±4.53. The students' sociodemographic characteristics and their EAT-40 mean score were compared, and the prevalence of eating disorders was found to be higher among those whose fathers completed primary school or had higher education, who watched their calorie intake, and who had a fear of gaining weight. Furthermore, the students' sociodemographic characteristics and ORTHO-11 mean score were compared, and those who cared about proper nutrition and had a fear of gaining weight had a higher tendency to develop ON. A low negative correlation was found between EAT-40 and ORTHO-11 (r=-.162; p=0.027). Conclusion: Almost three thirds of students were found to be at risk of eating behavior; nearly half of them were found to be at risk of developing ON. Those with a fear of gaining weight had a higher tendency to both have eating disorders and develop ON.

Prevalence, correlates, and gender disparities related to eating disordered behaviors among health science students and healthcare practitioners in Lebanon: Findings of a national cross sectional study

“…Another interesting finding of the present study is that nursing students and practitioners constituted 18.7% of high-risk participants, which is also an appreciable proportion and could be comparable to that reported by their counterparts in the nutrition profession. In previous investigations, in Turkey, 84.5% of nursing students were at high risk of eating disorders according to EAT-40, and 45.3% were at the risk of developing Orthorexia Nervosa (ON), which were seriously alarming findings ( 41 ). The risk of eating disorders among nurses may be related to the high-stress environment they are obliged to adapt to.…”

A Study of the Relationship between University Students’ Food Neophobia and Their Tendencies towards Orthorexia Nervosa

“…However, a higher prevalence, between 59.2 and 76.7%, has been reported in other studies conducted with nutrition and dietetics students [11,35,37]. While the mean ORTO-11 scale was found to be 27.3 ± 4.53, 26.3 ± 4.9, and 26.8 ± 6.24 in other studies conducted with students [20,57,58], it was found to be higher (38.23 ± 3.28) in dietetics students [39]. The fact that students in different departments have different levels of knowledge about nutrition and health may have reduced the possibility of people with higher levels of orthorexia nervosa symptoms.…”

Investigation of the nutritional habits of students receiving coaching education: a cross-sectional study

“…It can be said that this situation may have negative effects especially on the health of the participants as well as their tiring professional life. In this context, anxiety and stress that cause behaviours such as overeating or refusal to eat can be reduced by teaching methods of coping with all kinds of negative situations that may occur in the professional lives of prospective coach students [15].…”

“…The healthy nutrition, nutrition attitudes and behaviours of the students studying in the coaching departments within the sports sciences departments can be affected by the education they receive in the education and training processes at school. This may also include university students receiving nutrition educationv [15]. In this context, nutrition education can be called an important necessity [16].…”