Body Image, Food Addiction, Depression, and Body Mass Index in University Students

ABSTRACT

The relationship between body image, depression, food addiction and body mass index (BMI) and differences in these variables due to gender and field of education have not been studied extensively. This study was conducted on a total of 793 university students (20.19 ± 1.90 years). The Beck Depression Inventory, Yale Food Addiction, and Body Image Scale were used. It was determined that body image scores of females and individuals enrolled in health sciences programs were lower compared to those of males and those enrolled in the social sciences. There was a negative relationship between body image and depression and food addiction scores. There was a positive relationship between food addiction and depression scores, in addition to a positive relationship between food addiction and BMI.

KEYWORDS:

• body image
• body mass index
• depression
• food addiction

Acknowledgments

The authors thank all the students who devoted their time to participate in this study. They are warmly acknowledged for their helpful and wholehearted cooperation. In addition, the authors thank the postgraduate students who helped in the collection of data.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.