Effect of parental criticism on disordered eating behaviors in male and female university students in Mexico City.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of parental criticism of their offspring's bodies in the development of disordered eating behaviors (DEBs) in university students in Mexico City.

METHODS

A sample of 892 freshmen (502 women and 390 men) was included. The prevalence of the internalization of the aesthetic thin ideal, body dissatisfaction, self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and body mass index was estimated by sex. For each sex, the effect of parental criticism on DEBs, together with that of the other covariates, was measured through ordinal regression models.

RESULTS

It was found that women received more criticism from their mothers than men. Among the participants, the likelihood of DEBs is increased in the presence of criticism from both parents (OR = 2.5), criticism from the mother alone (OR = 2.0), overweight (OR = 1.7), obesity (OR = 2.1), wanting a slimmer body (OR = 8.3), and depressive symptoms (OR = 3.3). Among men, this risk is increased in the presence of criticism from both parents (OR = 2.7), being obese (OR = 2.4), wanting a slimmer body (OR = 3.4), and depressive symptoms (OR = 2.8).

CONCLUSIONS

It is essential to include issues linked to parental criticism of their bodies in interventions to prevent eating disorders in college students. Level of evidence V, cross-sectional descriptive study.