The Dark Side of Nutrition: The Tendency to Orthorexia Nervosa Among University Students and Associated Variables

Abstract

Aim: This study was conducted to examine the prevalence of orthorexia nervosa among university students and the variables that may be related to this phenomenon. Method: This research, which was carry out using a cross-sectional design, was conducted with a total of 409 university students, including 305 women (74.6 %) and 104 men (25.4 %), who are continuing their education at the Faculty of Health Sciences of a State University in June 2020. The data were collected using the personal information form and the Orthorexia-15 Scale (ORTHO-15) and evaluated by Independent Sample T-Test, One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Multivariate Binary Logistic Regression analysis. Results: It was found that 26.7 % of the students participating in the research had orthorexic tendencies, and female students were significantly orthorectic compared to male students (p < 0.05). In addition it has been determined that people who have a diagnosed health problems, use regular medications, take vitamin supplements, follow a constant diet program and engage in regular physical activity are more orthorectic (p < 0.05). Conclusion: 27 % of the students are in the risky group. The inability of university students to manage this period well, in which they are especially vulnerable to developing irregular eating habits, may lead to an increase in eating disorders. In this context, it may be recommended to provide training on healthy living and nutrition for young people. For individuals in the risk group, it may be useful to provide psychological support to prevent a healthy life from turning into an obsession. Also more research needs to be done in this group in order to better understand the risks and consequences arising from orthorectic tendencies.

Keywords

• Orthorexia nervosa
• university students
• nutrition

Beslenmenin Karanlık Yüzü: Üniversite Öğrencileri Arasında Ortoreksiya Nervoza Eğilimi ve İlişkili Değişkenler

Öz

Amaç: Bu çalışma, üniversite öğrencileri arasında ortoreksiya nevroza yaygınlığını ve bu olguyla ilişkili olabilecek değişkenleri incelemek amacıyla yürütülmüştür. Yöntem: Kesitsel tasarım kullanılarak yürütülen bu araştırma, Haziran 2020 tarihinde bir Devlet Üniversitesinin Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesinde öğrenimlerine devam etmekte olan 305 kadın (%74,6) 104 erkek (%25,4) olmak üzere toplam 409 üniversite öğrencisi ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Veriler, kişisel bilgi formu ve Ortoreksiya-15 Ölçeği (ORTO-15) kullanılarak toplanmış ve Bağımsız Örneklem T-Testi, Tek Yönlü Varyans Analizi (ANOVA), Çok Değişkenli Binary Lojistik Regresyon analizi ile değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular: Araştırmaya katılan öğrencilerin % 26,7 sinin ortorektik eğilimlerinin bulunduğu ve kadın öğrencilerin erkek öğrencilere göre anlamlı düzeyde ortorektik oldukları bulunmuştur (p<0,05). Ayrıca tanısı konmuş sağlık sorunu olan, düzenli ilaç kullanan, vitamin desteği alan, sürekli bir diyet programı uygulayan ve düzenli fiziksel aktivite yapan kişilerin daha ortorektik olduğu tespit edilmiştir (p<0,05). Sonuç: Öğrencilerin yaklaşık % 27’si riskli grupta yer almaktadır. Üniversite öğrencilerinin, düzensiz beslenme alışkanlıkları geliştirmeye karşı özellikle savunmasız oldukları bu dönemi iyi yönetememeleri yeme bozukluklarının artmasına neden olabilir. Bu kapsamda gençlere yönelik sağlıklı yaşam ve beslenme konularında eğitimler verilmesi önerilebilir. Risk grubunda yer alan bireyler için ise sağlıklı yaşamın obsesyona dönüşmesini önlemek üzere psikolojik destek sunulması yararlı olabilir. Ayrıca ortorektik eğilimlerden kaynaklanan riskleri ve sonuçları daha iyi anlamak için bu grupta daha fazla araştırma yapılması gerekmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Ortoreksiya nervoza
• üniversite öğrencileri
• beslenme

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