Our objective was to evaluate disordered eating and associated factors in university students in the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. This is an analytical cross-sectional observational study, and data collection took place between May and June 2020, using an online semi-structured questionnaire. In total, 936 students were evaluated. Present signs/symptoms of the flu syndrome (OR = 1.605), negative mood changes (OR = 1.628), weight gain (OR = 1.739), obesity (OR = 3.089), follow fitness/health profile on social media (OR = 2.050), having inadequate body perception (OR = 2.416), and body dissatisfaction (OR = 2.612) increased the chances of presenting a higher score on the disordered eating scale.
AlvarengaMDSDunkerKLLPhilippiST, et al. (2010) Influência da mídia em universitárias brasileiras de diferentes regiões. Jornal Brasileiro de Psiquiatria59(2): 111–118.
2.
AlvarengaMDSLourençoBHPhilippiST, et al. (2013) Disordered eating among Brazilian female college students. Cadernos de Saúde Pública29(5): 879–888.
3.
AlvarengaMDSPhilippiSTLourençoBH, et al. (2010) Insatisfação com a imagem corporal em universitárias brasileiras. Jornal Brasileiro de Psiquiatria59(1): 44–51.
4.
AlvarengaMDSScagliusiFBPhilippiST (2012) Comparison of eating attitudes among university students from the five Brazilian regions. Ciência & Saúde Coletiva17(2): 435–444.
5.
AlvarengaMDSSantosTSSAndradeD (2020) Item response theory-based validation of a short form of the Disordered Eating Attitude Scale (DEAS-s) to a Brazilian sample. Cadernos de Saúde Pública36(2): e00169919.
6.
AmmarABrachMTrabelsiK, et al. (2020) Effects of COVID-19 home confinement on eating behaviour and physical activity: Results of the ECLB-COVID19 international online survey. Nutrients12(6): 1583.
BrooksSKWebsterRKSmithLE, et al. (2020) The psychological impact of quarantine and how to reduce it: rapid review of the evidence. The Lancet395(10227): 912–920.
9.
CarvalhoPHB deFilgueirasJFNevesCM, et al. (2013) Checagem corporal, atitude alimentar inadequada e insatisfação com a imagem corporal de jovens universitários. Jornal Brasileiro de Psiquiatria62(2): 108–114.
10.
CatucciAScognamiglioURossiL (2021) Lifestyle changes related to eating habits, physical activity, and weight status during COVID-19 quarantine in Italy and some European countries. Frontiers in Nutrition8: 718877.
11.
CecchettoCAielloMGentiliC, et al. (2021) Increased emotional eating during COVID-19 associated with lockdown, psychological and social distress. Appetite160: 105122.
12.
CooperMReillyEESiegelJA, et al. (2020) Eating disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine: an overview of risks and recommendations for treatment and early intervention. Eating Disorders30: 54–76.
13.
CostaMLSouza AraújoDFCassianoMH, et al. (2019) Associação entre o uso de mídias sociais e comportamento alimentar, percepção e checagem corporal. Brazilian Journal of Health Review2(6): 5898–5914.
14.
Cruz-SáezSPascualAWlodarczykA, et al. (2020) The effect of body dissatisfaction on disordered eating: The mediating role of self-esteem and negative affect in male and female adolescents. Journal of Health Psychology25(8): 1098–1108.
15.
Czepczor-BernatKSwamiVModrzejewskaA, et al. (2021) COVID-19-related stress and anxiety, body mass index, eating disorder symptomatology, and body image in women from Poland: A cluster analysis approach. Nutrients13(4): 1384.
16.
da Mota SantanaJMilagresMPDos SantosCS, et al. (2021) Dietary intake of university students during COVID-19 social distancing in the Northeast of Brazil and associated factors. Appetite162: 105172.
17.
Díaz de León-VázquezCRivera-MárquezJABojorquez-ChapelaL, et al. (2017) Variables associated with disordered eating behaviors among freshman students from Mexico City. Salud Pública de México59(3, may-jun): 258.
18.
Díaz de León-VázquezCUnikel SantonciniC (2019) Parental negative weight/shape comments and their association with disordered eating behaviors: A systematic review. Revista Mexicana de Trastornos Alimentarios/Mexican Journal of Eating Disorders10(1): 134–147.
19.
Di RenzoLGualtieriPCinelliG, et al. (2020) Psychological aspects and eating habits during COVID-19 home confinement: Results of EHLC-COVID-19 Italian online survey. Nutrients12(7): 2152.
20.
Di RenzoLGualtieriPPivariF, et al. (2020) Eating habits and lifestyle changes during COVID-19 lockdown: An Italian survey. Journal of Translational Medicine18(1): 229.
21.
DunkerKLLAlvarengaM dos STeixeiraPC, et al. (2021) Effects of participation level and physical activity on eating behavior and disordered eating symptoms in the Brazilian version of the New Moves intervention: Data from a cluster randomized controlled trial. Sao Paulo Medical Journal139(3): 269–278.
22.
FiatesGMRSallesRK (2001) Fatores de risco para o desenvolvimento de distúrbios alimentares: um estudo em universitárias. Revista de Nutrição14: 3–6.
23.
FlaudiasVIcetaSZerhouniO, et al. (2020) COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and problematic eating behaviors in a student population. Journal of Behavioral Addictions9(3): 826–835.
24.
FredenbergJPBerlungPTDiekenHA. (1996) Incidence of eating disorders among selected female university students. Journal of the American Dietetic Association96(1): 64–68.
25.
FreireSCFisbergM (2017) Adaptação da Escala de Silhuetas Brasileiras para uso digital. Jornal Brasileiro de Psiquiatria66(4): 211–215.
26.
HaddadCZakhourMBou kheirM, et al. (2020) Association between eating behavior and quarantine/confinement stressors during the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak. Journal of Eating Disorders8(1): 40.
27.
HaynesAKersbergenISutinA, et al. (2018) A systematic review of the relationship between weight status perceptions and weight loss attempts, strategies, behaviours and outcomes: Perceived overweight and weight management. Obesity Reviews19(3): 347–363.
28.
HudsonJIHiripiEPopeHG, et al. (2007) The prevalence and correlates of eating disorders in the national comorbidity survey replication. Biological Psychiatry61(3): 348–358.
29.
KakeshitaISSilvaAIPZanattaDP, et al. (2009) Construção e fidedignidade teste-reteste de escalas de silhuetas brasileiras para adultos e crianças. Psicologia: Teoria e Pesquisa25(2): 263–270.
30.
KeelPKGomezMMHarrisL, et al. (2020) Gaining “The Quarantine 15:” Perceived versus observed weight changes in college students in the wake of COVID-19. International Journal of Eating Disorders53(11): 1801–1808.
31.
KesslerALPollF A (2018) Relação entre imagem corporal, atitudes para transtornos alimentares e estado nutricional em universitárias da área da saúde. Jornal Brasileiro de Psiquiatria67(2): 118–125.
32.
LealGVdaSPhilippiSTAlvarengaMdosS (2020) Unhealthy weight control behaviors, disordered eating, and body image dissatisfaction in adolescents from São Paulo, Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry42(3): 264–270.
33.
LevineMP (2012) Loneliness and Eating Disorders. The Journal of Psychology146(1–2): 243–257.
34.
LiraAGGanenAPAlvarengaMdosS (2017) Uso de redes sociais, influência da mídia e insatisfação com a imagem corporal de adolescentes brasileiras. Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry66(3): 164–71.
35.
MazzolaniBCSmairaFIEstevesGP, et al. (2021) Influence of body mass index on eating habits and food choice determinants among Brazilian women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Nutrition8: 664240.
36.
MoraesJMMOliveiraACNunesPP, et al. (2016). Fatores associados à insatisfação corporal e comportamentos de risco para transtornos alimentares entre estudantes de nutrição. Revista de Pesquisa em Saúde17(2): 106–111.
37.
NunesMAOlintoMTABarrosFC, et al. (2001) Influência da percepção do peso e do índice de massa corporal nos comportamentos alimentares anormais. Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria23(1): 21–27.
PedralVACardoso MartinsPDe Oliveira PenaforteFR (2020) “Eu que lute nessa quarentena pra ficar com corpo desse”: discursos sobre corpo e alimentação nas redes sociais em tempos de isolamento social. The Journal of the Food and Culture of the Americas2(2): 69–88.
40.
PhillipouAMeyerDNeillE, et al. (2020) Eating and exercise behaviors in eating disorders and the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia: Initial results from the COLLATE project. International Journal of Eating Disorders53(7): 1158–1165.
41.
PuhlRMLessardLMLarsonN, et al. (2020) Weight stigma as a predictor of distress and maladaptive eating behaviors during COVID-19: Longitudinal findings from the EAT study. Annals of Behavioral Medicine54(10): 738–746.
42.
RamosMHSilvaJMOliveiraTAV, et al. (2022) Intuitive eating and body appreciation in type 2 diabetes. Journal of Health Psychology27(2): 255–267.
43.
RodgersRFFrankoDLBrunetA, et al. (2012) Disordered eating following exposure to television and internet coverage of the March 2011 Japan earthquake. International Journal of Eating Disorders45(7): 845–849.
44.
RodgersRFLombardoCCeroliniS, et al. (2020) The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on eating disorder risk and symptoms. International Journal of Eating Disorders53(7): 1166–1170.
45.
Rodríguez-PérezCMolina-MontesEVerardoV, et al. (2020) Changes in dietary behaviours during the COVID-19 outbreak confinement in the Spanish COVIDiet Study. Nutrients12(6): 1730.
46.
SaadeSHallitSHaddadC, et al. (2019) Factors associated with restrained eating and validation of the Arabic version of the restrained eating scale among an adult representative sample of the Lebanese population: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Eating Disorders7(1): 24.
47.
Sánchez-SánchezERamírez-VargasGAvellaneda-LópezY, et al. (2020) Eating habits and physical activity of the Spanish population during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Nutrients12(9): 2826.
48.
SidaniJEShensaAHoffmanB, et al. (2016) The Association between social media use and eating concerns among US young adults. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics116(9): 1465–1472.
49.
SilvaDASNahasMVde SousaTF, et al. (2011) Prevalence and associated factors with body image dissatisfaction among adults in southern Brazil: A population-based study. Body Image8(4): 427–431.
50.
SouzaACAlvarengaMS (2016) Insatisfação com a imagem corporal em estudantes universitários—Uma revisão integrativa. Jornal Brasileiro de Psiquiatria65(3): 286–299.
51.
SticeE (2002) Risk and maintenance factors for eating pathology: A meta-analytic review. Psychological Bulletin128(5): 825–848.
52.
UnikelCDíazCRiveraJA, et al. (2016) Conductas alimentarias de riesgo y correlatos psicosociales en estudiantes universitarios de primer ingreso con sobrepeso y obesidad. Salud Mental39(3): 141–148.
53.
VolpatoMLTMottaAB (2021) Respostas de estresse e coping em adolescentes com excesso de peso. Estudos Interdisciplinares em Psicologia12(1): 76.
54.
WalkerMThorntonLDe ChoudhuryM, et al. (2015) Facebook use and disordered eating in college-aged women. Journal of Adolescent Health57(2): 157–163.
ZacharyZBriannaFBriannaL, et al. (2020) Self-quarantine and weight gain related risk factors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Obesity Research & Clinical Practice14(3): 210–216.
Supplementary Material
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
