Food standards, body dissatisfaction and risk for nervous orthorexia in healthcare students

Introduction: The recognition and characterization of eating behaviors through the identification of eating patterns are considered a highly relevant resource. Thus, it is believed that there is an association between body image dissatisfaction, linked to an exaggerated concern with food choices, and the risk of nervous orthorexia. Objectives: To analyze eating patterns with body dissatisfaction and the risk for orthorexia nervosa in healthcare students at a private higher education institution in Fortaleza-CE. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study. The sample consisted of university students in the health field of both genders. Data were collected through interviews using semi-structured questionnaires (sociodemographic and food consumption data) and structured questionnaires (Ortho-15 in the translated and adapted version and the silhouette scale). Anthropometric measurements (weight, height) were also taken. The data obtained were entered into Excel and later exported to SPSS version 20.0. The identification of dietary patterns in the studied group was performed by principal component factor analysis (PCA). Results: Three dietary patterns were identified: healthy, diet and mixed. The variables sex, age, course, BMI and overweight were statistically associated with the patterns found. When performing the association between body image and nervous orthorexia, it was found that 60% of students at risk had body dissatisfaction and that 42.5% of students at risk had body overestimation. Conclusion: No associations were found between patterns, body image and nervous orthorexia.