Department of Food Technology and Quality Assessment, School of Public Health in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, ul. Jordana 19, 41-808 Zabrze, Poland.
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Allied Health Sciences, Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies, Faridabad 121001, India.
Nutrients. 2024 Sep 21;16(18):3199. doi: 10.3390/nu16183199.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Orthorexia Nervosa (ON) is an emerging behavioral pattern characterized by an obsessive focus on healthy eating. Despite its prevalence, ON lacks formal diagnostic criteria in major classification systems like the DSM-5 and the ICD-10. This study aims to investigate the impact of socio-cultural attitudes towards body image and the role of social media on the risk of ON among female football players from Poland, Turkey, and India. This study hypothesizes that socio-cultural pressures and media usage significantly influence the risk of developing ON, particularly in cultures more exposed to Western beauty ideals.
The study was conducted from May to August 2024, employing the Computer-Assisted Web Interview method. A total of 142 female football players aged 16-36 from Poland, Turkey, and India participated. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire that included demographic information and health metrics, the Socio-Cultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire, and the Duesseldorf Orthorexia Scale. Statistical analyses included an ANOVA, the Kruskal-Wallis test, the chi-square test, and Pearson's correlation coefficient.
The study found that nearly half of the participants were at risk of or presented with ON, with the highest prevalence being among Indian athletes. Statistically significant relationships were observed between the risk of ON and factors such as age, dietary exclusions, social media usage, and sources of nutritional information. However, no significant correlation was found between socio-cultural attitudes and the risk of ON, suggesting that other factors may play a more critical role.
While socio-cultural pressures and media use are contributing factors to the risk of ON, psychological factors and individual behaviors appear to be equally, if not more, significant. This study highlights the importance of targeted educational programs and psychological support for young athletes, with a focus on promoting healthy dietary practices and positive body image perceptions across varying cultural contexts. Additionally, the results suggest the need for further research into the specific psychological and behavioral mechanisms underlying ON.
背景/目的：饮食失调（ON）是一种新兴的行为模式，其特征是对健康饮食的过度关注。尽管它很普遍，但在 DSM-5 和 ICD-10 等主要分类系统中，ON 缺乏正式的诊断标准。本研究旨在探讨对身体形象的社会文化态度以及社交媒体在波兰、土耳其和印度女性足球运动员中 ON 风险的影响。本研究假设，社会文化压力和媒体使用会显著影响 ON 的发病风险，尤其是在更容易接触西方审美理想的文化中。
该研究于 2024 年 5 月至 8 月进行，采用计算机辅助网络访谈法。来自波兰、土耳其和印度的 142 名年龄在 16 至 36 岁的女性足球运动员参与了该研究。数据收集使用了结构化问卷，包括人口统计学信息和健康指标、社会文化态度对外观问卷和杜塞尔多夫饮食失调量表。统计分析包括方差分析、克鲁斯卡尔-沃利斯检验、卡方检验和皮尔逊相关系数。
研究发现，近一半的参与者存在或表现出 ON 风险，其中印度运动员的患病率最高。ON 风险与年龄、饮食排除、社交媒体使用和营养信息来源等因素之间存在统计学显著关系。然而，社会文化态度与 ON 风险之间没有显著相关性，这表明其他因素可能发挥更关键的作用。
虽然社会文化压力和媒体使用是 ON 风险的促成因素，但心理因素和个人行为似乎同样重要，如果不是更重要的话。本研究强调了针对年轻运动员开展有针对性的教育计划和心理支持的重要性，重点是在不同文化背景下促进健康的饮食实践和积极的身体形象认知。此外，研究结果表明，需要进一步研究 ON 背后的特定心理和行为机制。
