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Int J Sports Med 2020; 41(10): 669-676
DOI: 10.1055/a-1152-5064
Training & Testing

Prevalence of Risk of Eating Disorders and its Association with Obesity and Fitness

Isabel María Parreño-Madrigal
1   Centro de Estudios Sociosanitarios, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, Spain
,
Ana Díez-Fernández
1   Centro de Estudios Sociosanitarios, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, Spain
2   Faculty of Nursing, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, Spain
,
Vicente Martínez-Vizcaíno
3   Facultad de Ciencias de La Salud, Universidad Autonoma de Chile Sede Talca, Talca, Chile
,
María Eugenia Visier-Alfonso
1   Centro de Estudios Sociosanitarios, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, Spain
2   Faculty of Nursing, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, Spain
,
Miriam Garrido-Miguel
1   Centro de Estudios Sociosanitarios, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, Spain
,
Mairena Sánchez-López
1   Centro de Estudios Sociosanitarios, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, Spain
4   Faculty of Education, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain
› Author Affiliations Funding: This work was supported by the Fundación para la Investigación Sanitaria (Health Research Foundation) in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain (FISCAM; ref. AN/2008/31) and the Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Red de Investigación en Actividades Preventivas y de Promoción de Salud (Network for Research in Preventive Activities and Health Promotion) (ref. RD12/0005/0009).
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Abstract

The university stage is a critical developmental period for young adults, where lifestyles can determine future health. A cross-sectional study including 481 college students was conducted, with the following objectives: 1) to examine the prevalence of risk of developing eating disorders in college students, 2) to assess differences in obesity and physical fitness in those with and without risk of eating disorders, and 3) to determine whether cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular fitness or fat mass were associated with the risk of eating disorders. We measured fat mass percentage (by densitometry), risk of feeding or eating disorders (by SCOFF questionnaire), cardiorespiratory fitness levels and a muscular fitness index. The prevalence of risk of eating disorders in women (32.4%) was higher than in men (17.4%) (p<0.001). In both sexes, higher obesity indicator mean values were observed among those who were at risk of eating disorders. Men participants without risk had higher cardiorespiratory fitness means than their at-risk peers [39.4 (8.3) vs. 32.4 (5.5), p<0.001)], and women showed differences only in the dynamometry/weight variable. In college students, it is necessary to promote healthy habits, including good levels of physical fitness, and to prevent excess body fat to effectively prevent eating disorders.

Keywords

SCOFF - cardiorespiratory fitness - muscular fitness - college students - body composition


Publication History

Received: 05 August 2019

Accepted: 19 March 2020

Article published online:
02 June 2020

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Stuttgart · New York

 

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