Prevalence of Risks for Eating Disorders among Undergraduate University Students: A Cross-sectional Study from the United Arab Emirates

Background: Eating disorders are disturbances that result in severe and long-lasting abnormal eating patterns and consequences to a variety of physical and psychological components of health. Purpose: To determine the prevalence of risks for eating disorders among Emirati female undergraduate university students at higher colleges in the United Arab Emirates. Methods: Utilizing a cross-sectional design, a total of 501 university students were recruited conveniently to participate in this study (the response rate was 90%). A questionnaire consisting of demographical and eating pattern sections and the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) (Arabic version) were used and shared online with the university students using Google Forms. This study was conducted in the spring semester of 2020/2021. Descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized. Results: The prevalence of female university students with risks of eating disorders was 13.97%. The most frequent (13.6%) statement chosen by university students was “I am terrified of being overweight.” Almost 50% of the university students were not satisfied with their weight and 48.1% were dissatisfied with their physical appearance. Only 8.18% of the female university students have a family history of eating disorders and 8.98% were confirmed cases of eating disorders. Yet, the study revealed no statistically significant correlations between age (r= 0.036, P= 0.416), body mass index (r= 0.015, P= 0.734) or meals/day (r= -0.076, P= 0.087) and EAT-26 scores. Conclusions: The risks of eating disorders in the current study were lower compared to those obtained by previous studies. Regardless of that, the awareness regarding eating disorders is required by multiple education programs utilizing reading materials, online education sessions, games, mass media and social communication methods. Implications for Nursing: Extended community-based educational programs are suggested to enhance female university students’ knowledge about EDs, their consequences on health and methods to promote healthy eating habits and positive attitudes toward body image. Keywords: Eating disorders, Higher colleges, University students, United Arab Emirates, Female adolescents, Anorexia nervosa, EAT-26.