Body dissatisfaction and risky behavior for the development of eating disorders: an evaluation among medical students

• Autor(a) principal: Reis, Leonardo Bruno Melo
• Data de Publicação: 2021
• Outros Autores: Castro, Georgia Guimarães de, Tôrres, Larissa Rafaella Pereira, Santos, Rodrigo Satoshi Oda, Costa, João Vitor, Pereira, Matheus Gomes, França, Dorothéa Schmid
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Debates em Psiquiatria (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://revistardp.org.br/revista/article/view/217
• topic: Comportamento alimentar; Alimentação pessoal; insatisfação corporal; transtornos alimentares; estudantes universitárias; Feeding behavior; personal satisfaction; university students; body dissatisfaction; eating desorders; Conducta alimentaria; satisfacción personal; Universitárias

Introduction: Eating disorders are complex, serious and potentially fatal conditions. They present significant repercussions in the physical, psychological, social and economic spheres. Its complications cover different systems, ranging from nutritional, bone, cardiac, psychiatric and metabolic dysfunctions.  Objective: to evaluate the degree of body dissatisfaction and risky behavior for the development of eating disorders (EDs) in medical students from a private educational institution in the north of Minas Gerais. Methods: The present study is a cross-sectional and observational assessment, in which 106 medical students answered the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ), the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) and a sociodemographic questionnaire to analyze the sociodemographic profile of the students, as well as the presence of the risk conditions of similar disorders in them. Results: The average age was 22.1 years. The average BMI was 21.86 kg / m², with a standard deviation of 3.23 kg / m². Most of the students (87.7%) were eutrophic. According to EAT-26, 42.5% of respondents were at risk of developing ED. According to BSQ, 39.6% reported some degree of body dissatisfaction. The risk of developing eating disorders was higher in those who reported moderate (100%) to severe dissatisfaction (66.7%). A higher risk was also observed in those with overweight (60%) and obesity (66.7%), when compared to the eutrophic group (39.8%). 72% of the interviewees reported fear of gaining weight, and 76% were, at some frequency, adept at slimming diets. Therefore, an evaluated sample offers high levels of body dissatisfaction, as well as a high risk of developing ED. In addition, there was great adherence to dietary habits. Conclusions: Therefore, the evaluated sample presents high levels of body dissatisfaction, as well as a higher risk of developing ED, as well as a great adherence to dietary habits.