Influence of the internalization of beauty ideals, depressive symptoms, body mass index, and type of university on disordered eating behaviors in university students in Mexico City.

Background

disordered eating behaviors (DEBs) encompass altered eating behaviors that do not meet the diagnostic criteria to be considered eating disorders, yet, like the latter, are associated with multiple medical, psychological, and social complications.

Objective

this study aimed to analyze the influence of the internalization of beauty ideals (specifically thinness and muscularity), depressive symptoms, body mass index (BMI), and type of university on DEBs.

Methods

a correlational, cross-sectional study was conducted with two independent samples of university students from two universities, one public and one private, in Mexico City (n = 1571; 20.8  2.07 years). Data analysis included frequency and percentage estimation, mean comparison, and linear regression analysis.

Results

students enrolled at the private university scored higher for all the variables studied, with statistically significant differences, except for BMI, where public university students scored higher. When compared by BMI, overweight and obese students scored higher for DEBs and internalization. In women, DEBs were predicted by thin-ideal internalization, BMI, and type of university. In male participants, predictors included BMI, depressive symptoms, and type of university.

Conclusions

the results confirmed previous findings in the literature, with socioeconomic status being a determining factor for the presence of DEBs.