Associated factors and screening for feeding and eating disorders in Paraguayan general population

Abstract

Introduction: feeding and eating disorders are associated with significant physical effects and psychosocial morbidity, as well as a negative impact on people's quality of life. Objective: to determine the proportion of patients at risk of suffering from a feeding and eating disorder in the general Paraguayan population. Methodology: observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study, of cross-association and temporally prospective. An online survey was disseminated nationwide through social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and messaging applications apps (WhatsApp, Telegram). Sociodemographic data were collected and the participants answered the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (S-EDE-Q), in search of eating disorders. Descriptive statistics were used for all variables. Student's t test and ANOVA were used to look for associations, as appropriate. Odds ratio was used to quantify the risks. Results: 375 people participated, of which 70,9 % were female, with a mean age of 31 ± 9 years. A mean of 2,09 ± 1.5 points was obtained on the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (S-EDE-Q) and it was found that 51 participants had signs of suffering from some type of eating disorder. Conclusion: 13,6 % of the participants in this research have signs of suffering from some type of eating disorder, women are 2.4 times more likely to suffer from an eating disorder and there are a series of factors that are associated with a greater risk for the development of some type of eating disorder.