Preocupações com a muscularidade, insatisfação corporal, internalização dos ideais de corpo e atitudes alimentares disfuncionais: uma comparação entre estudantes da área de saúde

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate muscularity concerns, body dissatisfaction, body- ideal internalization, and disordered eating among young undergraduate students in the health area. This is a cross-sectional study developed with 382 university undergraduate of the Physical Education, Nutrition, Pharmacy, Medicine, Physiotherapy and Dentistry courses. Participants answered a sociodemographic questionnaire and measures of muscularity concerns (Female Muscularity Scale), body dissatisfaction (Body Shape Questionnaire), body-ideal internalization (Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3), and disordered eating (adapted scale from Eating Disorder Examination). ANOVA one-way tested difference between students from different courses regarding applied measures. Hierarchical multiple linear regressions were performed to assess predictors of disordered eating. Episodes of binge eating (16.8%), fasting or eating less to lose weight (12.5%), use of laxatives (5.5%) and diuretics (1.5%), and vomiting (0.5%) occurred two or more times a week in the last three months. Statistical differences between the Physical Education and Dentistry courses, and also between the Physiotherapy and other courses, with the exception of Physical Education, were identified only for muscularity concerns (p < .001). Body dissatisfaction, body-ideal internalization, and muscularity concerns were found to predict disordered eating among undergraduate students (R 2 adjusted = .325). The evaluated courses did not present significant differences, except for muscularity concerns. Body dissatisfaction, body-ideal internalization, and muscularity concerns were found to predict disordered eating in undergraduate students.