Evaluation of eating habits, body perception and depression status of university students

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the eating habits, body perception and depression status of the university students. This cross-sectional analytic study was performed among 262 students attending Vocational Education faculty of a university. The Eating Attitude Test (EAT), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were performed for all students. In our study, according to the results of EAT, 5% (n=13) had ≥30 score (with eating disorders) and 95% was <30 score (without eating disorders). The mean scores of EAT in patients with eating disorders (EDs) and without EDs were 35.38±4.42 and 13.33±5.78 respectively. In terms of distrubition of body mass index (BMI), being underweight was significantly higher in girls and being overweight was higher in boys (p<0.001). When we compaired the mean value of age, Beck depresyon score and body mass index in patients with EDs and without EDs, statistically, we could not find any difference (p>0.05). While weight loss and the idea on maintaining the same weight were significantly higher among females than males, the idea of weight gain was higher in males compared to females (p=0.004). In this research, doing physical exercise was insufficient in both genders. All university students should be provided with healthy nutrition conditions, sufficient and wellbalanced meals at low prices should be given and educational nutrition programs should be presented at certain intervals. © Gülhane Askeri Ti{dotless}p Akademisi 2013.