Abstract:
Background: Eating disorders (EDs) and their associated mental health problems are prevalent among adolescents in Bangladesh. This study investigated the association between EDs and mental health issues in school and college students in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1185 students aged 13-19 years from selected schools and colleges in Dhaka, using convenience sampling. The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) were used to assess ED risk and mental health status, respectively. The chi-squared test was performed to assess the significant difference, and the multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to identify the determinants of EDs. The statistical significance level was considered at p < 0.05.
Results: The prevalence of ED risk among the students was 35.3%. The chi-squared test showed that the participants' sociodemographic variables, such as age, gender, educational status, field of study, parent’s educational status, and BMI and mental health problems (depression, anxiety, and depression) significant differences with ED. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that anxiety (Odds ratio [OR] for severe = 2.24 and extremely severe =3.71) and stress (OR for severe = 1.94 and extremely severe = 4.17) were significantly associated (p < 0.05) with an increased risk of ED among the study participants.
Conclusions: One out of three students were at risk for EDs, which was significantly associated with mental health problems. Prevention and health promotion programs targeting adolescents are recommended to improve mental health and reduce the incidence of EDs among school and college students in Bangladesh.
