(LB02-05-25) Risk Factors for Eating Disorders and Perception of Hunger and Satiety Signals: A Study With University Students in São Paulo

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of the risk of Eating Disorders.

To evaluate the perception of physiological signals of hunger and satiety using the Intuitive Eating Scale among university students in São Paulo.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of university students in São Paulo, aged 18 and older, collected data from November 2024 to January 2025 via Google Forms®. The study focused on anthropometrics, physical activity, restrictive diets, and sociodemographics.

Participants completed the Intuitive Eating Scale (IES-2), which assessed hunger and satiety through 23 items, with higher scores reflecting greater intuitive eating reliability. A questionnaire adapted from Hay (1998) evaluated eating disorder risk behaviors, such as binge eating and laxative use. Descriptive analysis using Excel® and BioEstat 4.0® explored associations between gender, age, BMI, physical activity, and restrictive diets, identifying IES-2 scores ≤ 3 as indicative of lower intuitive eating reliability.

Results: A survey of 70 university students revealed that 87.14% were female, primarily aged 18 to 25, with 45.71% in Nutrition programs. Most (82.85%) reported regular physical activity, and the average BMI was 23.87 kg/m².

Risk behaviors for eating disorders were significantly higher in individuals with comorbidities (5.08 times, p = 0.022) and those on restrictive diets (p = 0.011). Body dissatisfaction was linked to higher BMI, but no significant associations were found with gender or age.

Intuitive eating reliability was 2.04 times lower in those on restrictive diets (p = 0.036), and physical activity correlated with reduced reliability (p = 0.047). These findings emphasize the intricate links between diet, physical activity, and eating disorders, highlighting the need for focused interventions.

Conclusions: The study links comorbidities and restrictive diets to increased eating disorder risk among university students in São Paulo, disrupting hunger signals. The role of physical activity in appetite regulation is unclear, and the absence of data on professional supervision of restrictive diets highlights the need for further research.

Funding Sources: This work did not receive financial support for its development. It was conducted within the research platform of Mackenzie Presbyterian University.