Association of overweight and obesity with the risk of disordered eating attitudes and behaviors among Bangladeshi university students

Objective: Little is known about the relation between weight status and eating disorders symptomatology among Bangladeshi university students. Moreover, the sociocultural climate in Bangladesh has changed in ways that might increase young adults' vulnerability to eating disorder symptomatology. Therefore, this study explored disordered eating attitudes and behaviors among Bangladeshi university students, and their association with Body Mass Index. Method: This cross-sectional study included 398 students from one Bangladeshi university [mean age = 21.12 and 50.25% women]. Anthropometric measures (height and weight) were collected in-person by study staff. Participants also completed the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26). The established EAT-26 cutoff score of ≥20 was used to identify participants as having elevated risk for disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. Participants' BMIs were classified according to World Health Organization guidelines. Result: Over one-fifth (20.4%) of students in the sample had EAT-26 scores ≥20 (17.2% male and 23.5% female). Students with BMIs classified as overweight or obese were more likely to have elevated EAT-26 scores (OR = 3.572[2.12–6.03], p <.001). A significant positive correlation was found between overweight/obesity, and disordered eating attitudes and behaviors (r = 0.41, p <.001). Conclusion: These findings suggest that additional research is needed to investigate eating disorder symptomatology in Bangladeshis. In particular, future studies should use longitudinal designs, and large and diverse samples.