Disordered eating behaviors and associated factors among secondary school adolescents in Harar town, eastern Ethiopia: cross-sectional study

BackgroundAdolescent eating disorders impair physical and mental development and are associated with poor health outcomes in adulthood. However, there is little research on disordered eating in Ethiopia, particularly in the study area. As a result, the purpose of this study is to examine disordered...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Abainash Tekola, Lemma Demissie Regassa, Hiwot Berhanu, Miheret Mandefro, Samrawit Shawel, Obsan Kassa, Kedir Teji Roba
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2024-12-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychiatry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1459073/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850251323199455232
author Abainash Tekola
Lemma Demissie Regassa
Hiwot Berhanu
Miheret Mandefro
Samrawit Shawel
Obsan Kassa
Kedir Teji Roba
author_facet Abainash Tekola
Lemma Demissie Regassa
Hiwot Berhanu
Miheret Mandefro
Samrawit Shawel
Obsan Kassa
Kedir Teji Roba
author_sort Abainash Tekola
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundAdolescent eating disorders impair physical and mental development and are associated with poor health outcomes in adulthood. However, there is little research on disordered eating in Ethiopia, particularly in the study area. As a result, the purpose of this study is to examine disordered eating behaviors and associated factors in secondary school adolescents in the study area.MethodsA school-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 1104 secondary school adolescents in Harar town from June 30 to July 15, 2022. Multistage cluster sampling was used, and data was collected using self-administered questionnaires. The eating attitude test-26 was used to assess disordered eating behaviors, and scores of 20 and above were considered to have disordered eating behaviors. A binary logistic regression analysis was done to identify factors associated with disordered eating behaviors and the statistical significance level was set at a p-value of 0.05.ResultIn this study, 28.37% [95% CI (25.73%, 31.16%)] of the adolescents had disordered eating behaviors. Being female [AOR = 1.81, 95% CI (1.29, 2.53)], being from a mother, attending technical school [AOR = 3.61, 95% CI: (1.85, 7.04)], and having a higher-educated father [AOR = 1.55, 95% CI: (1.02, 2.36)] were significantly associated with disordered eating behaviors. Furthermore, desire to lose weight [AOR = 2.09, 95% CI (1.49, 2.93)], smoking [AOR = 3.64, 95% CI (2.24, 5.91)], emotional problems [AOR = 1.7, 95% CI (1.14, 2.55)], and body image dissatisfaction [AOR = 0.96, 95% CI (0.94, 0.97)] were associated with disordered eating.ConclusionIn Harar, almost three out of ten secondary school adolescents had disordered eating behaviors. Personal, behavioral, and socio-demographic factors were associated with disordered eating. Since the prevalence of disordered eating is significant at the study site, all relevant stakeholders should have to develop appropriate interventions that target modifiable factors to reduce the burden.
format Article
id doaj-art-4ef4e09d61e14c4687054ef9f4171d55
institution OA Journals
issn 1664-0640
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Psychiatry
spelling doaj-art-4ef4e09d61e14c4687054ef9f4171d552025-08-20T01:57:55ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402024-12-011510.3389/fpsyt.2024.14590731459073Disordered eating behaviors and associated factors among secondary school adolescents in Harar town, eastern Ethiopia: cross-sectional studyAbainash TekolaLemma Demissie RegassaHiwot BerhanuMiheret MandefroSamrawit ShawelObsan KassaKedir Teji RobaBackgroundAdolescent eating disorders impair physical and mental development and are associated with poor health outcomes in adulthood. However, there is little research on disordered eating in Ethiopia, particularly in the study area. As a result, the purpose of this study is to examine disordered eating behaviors and associated factors in secondary school adolescents in the study area.MethodsA school-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 1104 secondary school adolescents in Harar town from June 30 to July 15, 2022. Multistage cluster sampling was used, and data was collected using self-administered questionnaires. The eating attitude test-26 was used to assess disordered eating behaviors, and scores of 20 and above were considered to have disordered eating behaviors. A binary logistic regression analysis was done to identify factors associated with disordered eating behaviors and the statistical significance level was set at a p-value of 0.05.ResultIn this study, 28.37% [95% CI (25.73%, 31.16%)] of the adolescents had disordered eating behaviors. Being female [AOR = 1.81, 95% CI (1.29, 2.53)], being from a mother, attending technical school [AOR = 3.61, 95% CI: (1.85, 7.04)], and having a higher-educated father [AOR = 1.55, 95% CI: (1.02, 2.36)] were significantly associated with disordered eating behaviors. Furthermore, desire to lose weight [AOR = 2.09, 95% CI (1.49, 2.93)], smoking [AOR = 3.64, 95% CI (2.24, 5.91)], emotional problems [AOR = 1.7, 95% CI (1.14, 2.55)], and body image dissatisfaction [AOR = 0.96, 95% CI (0.94, 0.97)] were associated with disordered eating.ConclusionIn Harar, almost three out of ten secondary school adolescents had disordered eating behaviors. Personal, behavioral, and socio-demographic factors were associated with disordered eating. Since the prevalence of disordered eating is significant at the study site, all relevant stakeholders should have to develop appropriate interventions that target modifiable factors to reduce the burden.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1459073/fulldisordered eating attitudeeating disorderunhealthy weight control behaviorsdietingbinge eating
spellingShingle Abainash Tekola
Lemma Demissie Regassa
Hiwot Berhanu
Miheret Mandefro
Samrawit Shawel
Obsan Kassa
Kedir Teji Roba
Disordered eating behaviors and associated factors among secondary school adolescents in Harar town, eastern Ethiopia: cross-sectional study
Frontiers in Psychiatry
disordered eating attitude
eating disorder
unhealthy weight control behaviors
dieting
binge eating
title Disordered eating behaviors and associated factors among secondary school adolescents in Harar town, eastern Ethiopia: cross-sectional study
title_full Disordered eating behaviors and associated factors among secondary school adolescents in Harar town, eastern Ethiopia: cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Disordered eating behaviors and associated factors among secondary school adolescents in Harar town, eastern Ethiopia: cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Disordered eating behaviors and associated factors among secondary school adolescents in Harar town, eastern Ethiopia: cross-sectional study
title_short Disordered eating behaviors and associated factors among secondary school adolescents in Harar town, eastern Ethiopia: cross-sectional study
title_sort disordered eating behaviors and associated factors among secondary school adolescents in harar town eastern ethiopia cross sectional study
topic disordered eating attitude
eating disorder
unhealthy weight control behaviors
dieting
binge eating
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1459073/full
work_keys_str_mv AT abainashtekola disorderedeatingbehaviorsandassociatedfactorsamongsecondaryschooladolescentsinharartowneasternethiopiacrosssectionalstudy
AT lemmademissieregassa disorderedeatingbehaviorsandassociatedfactorsamongsecondaryschooladolescentsinharartowneasternethiopiacrosssectionalstudy
AT hiwotberhanu disorderedeatingbehaviorsandassociatedfactorsamongsecondaryschooladolescentsinharartowneasternethiopiacrosssectionalstudy
AT miheretmandefro disorderedeatingbehaviorsandassociatedfactorsamongsecondaryschooladolescentsinharartowneasternethiopiacrosssectionalstudy
AT samrawitshawel disorderedeatingbehaviorsandassociatedfactorsamongsecondaryschooladolescentsinharartowneasternethiopiacrosssectionalstudy
AT obsankassa disorderedeatingbehaviorsandassociatedfactorsamongsecondaryschooladolescentsinharartowneasternethiopiacrosssectionalstudy
AT kedirtejiroba disorderedeatingbehaviorsandassociatedfactorsamongsecondaryschooladolescentsinharartowneasternethiopiacrosssectionalstudy