Associations Among Self-Reported Disordered Eating Behavior, Nutrient Intake, Depression, and Self-Efficacy Among College Students
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ASSOCIATIONS AMONG SELF-REPORTED DISORDERED EATING BEHAVIOR, NUTRIENT INTAKE, DEPRESSION, AND SELF-EFFICACY AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS. Bernadette Coleen Paul A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate College of the Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree program of MASTER OF FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES December 2007 Committee: Dr. Julian Williford Jr., Advisor Dr. Priscilla Coleman Dr. Martha Sue Houston ii ABSTRACT Julian H. Williford Jr., Advisor Eating Disorders on college campuses are increasing. The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of disordered eating behaviors among college students. The sample consisted of 201 volunteer students who were enrolled in an introductory nutrition course during the Fall of 2005 and the Spring of 2006. This nutrition course is required for all health-related majors. Identification of disordered eating was based on scores from self-reported EAT-26 questionnaires (EAT-26). Also administered were the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), General Self Efficacy Scale (GSE), and a questionnaire that provided demographic information. Potential inadequate nutrient intake of total calories, folate, iron and calcium were calculated by the Diet Analysis Plus 6.0 program from subject’s self-reported five-day food records. Disordered eating patterns were identified with a positive EAT-26 score of ≥ 20. A significant number of students scored positively on the EAT-26, and female students had a higher percentage of inadequate intakes than the male subjects. Approximately 15.4 % of the sample in this study had positive EAT-26 scores, with 19 % of the female population and 2.3 % of the male population displaying characteristics of disordered eating. These scores are similar to scores demonstrated in previous studies at BGSU in 1998, 1999, 2004, and 2006. Study results also showed that students with positive EAT-26 scores, when compared to those with regular scores, had a tendency to consume fewer total calories and measured nutrients (folate, calcium, and iron); however only the calories consumed were significantly different between the groups. Approximately 43.28 % of the study population consumed less than two - thirds of the DRI for total calories, and 62.18%, 47.76 %, and 49.75 % of the participants consumed less than two-thirds of the DRI for folate, calcium and iron respectively. iii The results indicated that students with disordered eating scores had higher depression scores, and also higher self-efficacy scores than those with healthy eating scores. The information gathered from the current study may be useful in determining the effectiveness of nutrition programs and also to develop and improve nutrition policies and strategies to address eating problems. iv This thesis is dedicated to my husband, Dr. Pierce Anderson Paul, and my children, Sely – Ann Ayiesha Headley, Colwyn Ansel Headley, Pedanderson Ansil Paul, Pierre Anderson Paul. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank God for all His mercy, and guidance throughout this journey, and without him I could not have accomplished this task. Special thanks to my siblings, nieces and nephews who supported me morally and financially. Special thanks to Marc, Michelle and Miracle Burnett. Special thanks to the members of my committee. Dr. Williford: thanks for your support and assistance with this thesis and throughout the Master’s program. Dr. Houston: thanks for believing in me when I applied to do this Master’s program, and thanks for helping me with this thesis and throughout the Master’s program. Dr. Coleman: thank you for always being there for me. I am thankful for your help on those weekends and very odd hours of the evening when I chose to work on this thesis. You were an excellent teacher and mentor. Special thanks to Soyinka, Eleise, Dr. G, Ms.Trotter, Ms.Holdip, Laura D Richards, Jenney La Fleur, Yvette, Shaundell, Cotebor, Shellon Liddell, Monica Walters, Barbara, Maria Helena and Alosia who always believed in my ability to excel. Thanks also to Ms. Diane Conway for helping with my statistical analysis. To my very good friend and study buddy Christy Ampadu, who kept me company in the late hours of the evenings and early mornings, even when I was tired, a hearty thank you. Thanks also to Ninian, Norma, Ms. Mason, and my colleagues Caroline Kamau, Marla Murphy and Becky Gardner for their moral support. Thanks to Sue Bigaila, Anne Saviers, Dr. Kim, and Dr. Roe who were always supportive and encouraging. Dr. Roe, you were a great inspiration to me. To Kathy, and all the faculty and staff of the School of Family and Consumer Sciences, thanks for your constant encouragement and confidence. Those whose names I did not mention and who directly or indirectly supported me during this thesis, thank you. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I .................................................................................................................................. 1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM...................................................................................................... 2 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY ...................................................................................................... 3 CHAPTER II................................................................................................................................. 5 EATING DISORDERS ..................................................................................................................... 6 BULIMIA NERVOSA (BN) ............................................................................................................. 9 ANOREXIA NERVOSA (AN).......................................................................................................... 9 EATING DISORDERS NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED (EDNOS)...................................................... 10 IDENTITY FORMATION................................................................................................................ 11 SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION........................................................................................................ 13 SELF-EFFICACY .......................................................................................................................... 14 SELF-ESTEEM ............................................................................................................................. 15 DIETARY REFERENCE INTAKE.................................................................................................... 16 ENERGY ..................................................................................................................................... 17 CARBOHYDRATES ...................................................................................................................... 18 FATS .......................................................................................................................................... 19 PROTEINS ................................................................................................................................... 19 CALCIUM ................................................................................................................................... 20 FOLATE...................................................................................................................................... 22 IRON .......................................................................................................................................... 23 vii OVERVIEW OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE TOOLS USED IN THIS RESEARCH PROJECT ....................................................................................................................................................... 25 MEASUREMENTS........................................................................................................................ 25 Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) – 26 questionnaires.................................................................. 25 Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)......................................................................................... 26 The General Self Efficacy Scale (GSE)................................................................................. 27 Traditional measurements of Self Efficacy ........................................................................... 28 Food Records........................................................................................................................ 28 Twenty-four-Hour recall....................................................................................................... 29 Computer based dietary intake ............................................................................................. 29 CHAPTER III ............................................................................................................................. 31 PARTICIPANTS............................................................................................................................ 31 DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURE ................................................................................................ 31 DATA COLLECTION METHODS AND INSTRUMENTS...................................................................... 32 INTERPRETATION OF DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION.................................................................... 33 Coding and interpreting the demographic information........................................................ 33 Coding and interpreting the 5-day food record...................................................................