Potential Triggers for Risking the Development of Eating Disorders in Non-Clinical Higher-Education Students in Emerging Adulthood.
Nutrients
; 14(11)2022 May 30.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1869724
ABSTRACT
Nowadays, eating disorders (ED) among individuals during emerging adulthood have become a crucial challenge to public health, taking into account the fact that the global prevalence of the ED risk in student-aged populations already stands at 10.4% and has been sharply increasing during the COVID-19 pandemic. In all, from 50% to 80% of all the ED cases go undetected or are not correctly diagnosed; moreover, these individuals do not receive specialized treatment. Therefore, early diagnosis detected via screening questionnaires for ED is highly recommended. This study aimed to identify the triggers for ED risk development in emerging-adulthood individuals and to reveal the factors significant not only for ED prevention but also for assessing individuals with subthreshold symptoms. This cross-sectional study provides the results for the ED symptom screening in 1716 Lithuanian higher-education students aged 21.2 ± 3.9, during emerging adulthood. According to the results of this study, 19.2% of students were at risk for ED. Potential risk factors such as sex (odds ratio (OR) 3.1, 95% CI 1.9-4.9), body weight (self-reported body mass index) (adjusted (A) OR 1.4; 95% CI 1.2-1.7) and comorbidities such as smoking (AOR 2.1; 95% CI 1.6-2.8), and perceived stress during the pandemic (AOR 1.4; 95% CI 1.1-1.8) are involved in anticipating the symptomatology of ED during emerging adulthood. Regular initial screenings with universally adopted questionnaires and further referral to a psychiatrist must be applied to promote both the diagnosis of early-onset symptomatology and the treatment of these ED in student-aged populations. Preventive programs for reducing the prevalence of overweight or obesity among students during emerging adulthood should focus on integration directions for the development of a positive body image.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Feeding and Eating Disorders
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Adult
/
Humans
Language:
English
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Nu14112293
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