The risk of orthorexia nervosa (healthy eating obsession) symptoms for health high school students and affecting factors

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Purpose: This study was conducted in order to define Health Sciences students orthorexia nervosa symptoms, eating attitudes, and eating behaviors according to various socio-demographic data as descriptive.Materials and methods:The Study Sample comprised of 505 students that study at Balıkesir University Health High School between the dates 11/01/2014-02/26/2015 and accept to participate in the study. Research data was collected via personal information form, Eating Attitudes Test 40 Orto-11 Scale and Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Questionnaire (MOCI). The obtained data percentage, average, are computerized percentage, average, was assessed with Spearman correlation analysis.Results: It is found that the average score of the students in the study for eating disorders is 18.43±10.56, for orthorexic symptom 26.95±5.11 and for overall OCD symptoms 14.7±6.2. Eating attitudes test s (p=.027) and orthorexia tests (p=.001) average scores of the individuals that implement any method to gain weight or lose weight are higher than those that do not implement any method to gain weight or lose weight In addition, statistically, obsession scores of the individuals that apply any method to gain weight or to lose weight are significantly higher than those that do not apply any method to gain weight or to lose weight (p=.000).As the deterioration in the students eating attitudes increases, there will be an increase also regarding orthorexic symptom level of the students (r =-.238, p=0.000). EAT-40 scores and OCD scores of the students (r=.241, p=0.000) are positively and significantly correlated. Pursuant to that it can be said that there will be an increase at the level of obsessive symptom, as corruption at eating disorder attitude increases.Conclusion: As the symptoms of eating disorders increase, trends towards to the obsessive and orthorexic symptoms also increase. It is recommended that awarenes of the students must be raised and individuals who are at risk must get support regarding Orthorexia nervosa.

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Orthorexia nervosa , Eating disorders , university students

Pamukkale Medical Journal

7

226

2016

Pamukkale Medical Journal