Investigation of the relationship between orthorexic tendencies and some anthropometric measurements and variables in university students

Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is a type of eating disorder marked by an excessive preoccupation with eating healthily to preserve and promote health, which surpasses normal levels of concern. This study aims to investigate the correlation between orthorexic tendencies, anthropometric measurements, and several other characteristics among university students. A cross-sectional study was done with a sample size of 307 university students from various departments, consisting of 228 females and 79 males. The data-gathering process consisted of administering a demographic information form and the ORTO-11 questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements, such as weight, height, waist circumference, hip circumference, and chest circumference, were measured. In addition, Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated. The TANITA BC-418 equipment was used to measure the weight of the participants, while a flexible tape measure was used to measure their height, waist circumference, hip circumference, and chest circumference. The BMI was calculated by the individual's weight (in kilograms) by the square of their height (in meters). The data analysis encompassed the utilization of descriptive statistics, t-tests, variance analysis, and Pearson correlation analysis. A score of 25 or lower on the ORTO-11 scale was categorized as orthorexic, whereas a score higher than 25 was deemed normal. The average age and orthorexia scores of the subjects were 20.81±1.86 and 27.76±4.42 for females, and 21.38±4.14 and 28.11±4.37 for males, respectively. It was determined that 29.3% of the participants were found to display orthorexic tendencies, while the remaining 70.7% did not. There were no statistically significant variations in age, hip circumference, and orthorexia scores across genders (p>0.05). No statistically significant relationship was found between the total orthorexia scores and BMIs of the individuals (r=-.051, p>0.05). ON is associated with psychological and social complications, which in turn contribute to the development of disordered eating patterns. The results of this study indicate that determining the frequency of orthorexic tendencies among university students may contribute to the development of strategies for its prevention.