Risk of Eating Disorders and Social Desirability among Higher Education Students: Comparison of Nutrition Students with Other Courses

Abstract

The transition to college is a period of higher risk of the development of eating disorders, with nutrition/dietetics students representing a group of particular vulnerability. Hence, it is interesting to assess eating disorders, taking into consideration potential sources of bias, including social desirability. Our aims were to compare the risk of eating disorders between students of nutrition/dietetics and those attending other courses and to study potential social desirability biases. A total of 799 higher education students (81.7% females) aged 18 to 27 years old completed a questionnaire assessing the risk of eating disorders (EAT-26) and social desirability (composite version of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale). The proportion of students with a high risk of eating disorders was higher among females (14.5% vs. 8.2%, p = 0.044). Nutrition/dietetics students did not differ from those attending other courses regarding the risk of eating disorders. The social desirability bias when assessing the risk of eating disorders was overall low (EAT-26 total score: r = -0.080, p = 0.024). Social desirability correlated negatively with the Diet (r = -0.129, p < 0.001) and Bulimia and food preoccupation subscales (r = -0.180, p < 0.001) and positively with Oral self-control (r = 0.139, p < 0.001).