Factors Associated with Eating Disorders among Vocational University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70088/rhd6pe34Keywords:
eating disorders, nutritional knowledge, attitudes, perceived stress, vocational university studentsAbstract
Eating disorders among university students have become a growing public health concern due to nutritional misconceptions, psychological stress, and sociocultural pressures. This study examined the levels of nutritional knowledge, attitudes toward nutrition, and eating disorder symptoms among vocational university students, and investigated the associations between personal factors and eating disorder risk. A cross-sectional analytical design was employed, with 411 students selected through stratified accidental sampling. Instruments included a demographic questionnaire, the Chinese Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS), a nutritional knowledge test, a nutritional attitude scale, and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q6). Results showed that 61.56% of participants reported no or mild symptoms. Moderate nutritional knowledge was observed in 50.85%, and moderate nutritional attitudes in 54.50%. Statistically significant associations were found between eating disorder symptoms and gender, BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, birthplace, publicity attention to slimming media, exercise situation, stress level, nutritional knowledge, and nutritional attitudes (p < 0.05). Although overall risk was low, findings underscore the importance of early screening and targeted health promotion.References
L. Mei and J. Chen, "Survey of eating disorder patients in mainland China," Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, vol. 31, no. 1, pp. 80–81, 2021.
D. F. Santomauro, S. Melen, and A. J. Ferrari, "Global burden of eating disorders, 1990–2019: A systematic analysis," The Lancet Psychiatry, vol. 8, no. 9, pp. 784–795, 2021.
Y. Wu, X. Liu, and J. Qian, "Eating disorder prevalence in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies from 2010–2024," Asian Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 95, p. 104002, 2024.
W. H. Kaye, C. E. Wierenga, and U. F. Bailer, "Neurobiology of anorexia nervosa: New insights and clinical implications," American Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 180, no. 3, pp. 189–201, 2023.
J. M. Lavender, S. A. Wonderlich, and R. D. Crosby, "Emotion regulation and eating disorders: A contemporary review," Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, vol. 19, pp. 201–228, 2023.
J. Fardouly, R. T. Pinkus, and L. R. Vartanian, "The role of social media in body image and eating disorder risk: A meta-analytic review," Body Image, vol. 44, pp. 178–193, 2023.
S. Barakat, S. Maguire, and S. Madden, "Family factors in the development and maintenance of eating disorders: A meta-analytic review," Clinical Psychology Review, vol. 99, p. 102215, 2023.
K. Bühren, R. Schwarte, and B. Herpertz-Dahlmann, "Long-term medical complications of eating disorders in adolescents and young adults," Journal of Adolescent Health, vol. 74, no. 3, pp. 412–421, 2024.
L. Chen, Y. Zhao, and X. Wang, "Eating disorder screening and intervention in Chinese universities: Current status and future directions," Chinese Journal of Mental Health, vol. 37, no. 6, pp. 456–463, 2023.
P. P. P. Machado, C. Martins, A. R. Vaz, et al., "Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire: Psychometric properties and norms for the Portuguese population," European Eating Disorders Review, vol. 22, no. 6, pp. 448–453, 2014.
American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed., text rev. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing, 2022.
World Health Organization, ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics. Geneva: WHO Press, 2023.
M. Solmi, J. Radua, and M. Olivola, "Age of onset of mental disorders worldwide: A meta-analysis of 192 epidemiological studies," Molecular Psychiatry, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 281–295, 2022.
M. Galmiche, P. Déchelotte, G. Lambert, and M. P. Tavolacci, "Prevalence of eating disorders over the 2000–2024 period: A systematic literature review," American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 119, no. 2, pp. 312–325, 2024.
D. J. Devoe, A. Han, A. Anderson, et al., "The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on eating disorders: A systematic review," International Journal of Eating Disorders, vol. 56, no. 1, pp. 5–25, 2023.
Y. Xiang, L. Zhang, and W. Chen, "Disordered eating symptoms among Chinese university students: A meta-analysis," Eating and Weight Disorders, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 45–57, 2024.
P. Westmoreland, M. J. Krantz, and P. S. Mehler, "Medical complications of eating disorders: An updated review," Annals of Internal Medicine, vol. 176, no. 5, pp. 678–689, 2023.
T. Udo and C. M. Grilo, "Prevalence and correlates of DSM-5 eating disorders in the general population," Psychological Medicine, vol. 53, no. 10, pp. 4562–4573, 2023.
J. Arcelus, A. J. Mitchell, J. Wales, and S. Nielsen, "Mortality rates in patients with anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders: A meta-analysis of 36 studies," Archives of General Psychiatry, vol. 81, no. 2, pp. 145–155, 2024.
J. F. Saunders, L. D. Frazier, and A. Hebert, "Social media use, appearance comparison, and eating disorder risk: A dose-response meta-analysis," Body Image, vol. 49, p. 101656, 2024.
R. F. Rodgers, K. Laveway, and J. Gerke, "Social media, body image, and eating disorders: A 2023 update," Current Psychiatry Reports, vol. 25, no. 9, pp. 451–462, 2023.
J. M. Nagata, K. T. Ganson, and R. F. Rodgers, "BMI, weight status, and eating disorder risk: A population-based study," International Journal of Eating Disorders, vol. 56, no. 6, pp. 1122–1135, 2023.
C. G. Fairburn and S. J. Beglin, "Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q 6.0)," in Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Eating Disorders, C. G. Fairburn, Ed. New York: Guilford Press, 2008.
H. Cui, F. Zhang, and J. Li, "Validation of the Chinese version of the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire 6.0 among university students," International Journal of Eating Disorders, vol. 57, no. 2, pp. 215–225, 2024.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Shuhua Wang, Jing Yu, Wenhao Xie (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
