Study of the Association Between Quarantine and Risk Factors for Eating Disorders (ED) in Moroccan Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Introduction: The quarantine caused by the COVID -19 pandemic has profound repercussions that can affect the daily lives of the population in different ways. Adolescents are among the age groups most vulnerable to these disruptions. Objective: The objective of the present study is to identify the links between confinement and the appearance of risk factors for eating disorders (henceforth ED) in Moroccan adolescents. Method: This is a cross-sectional study; aimed at some Moroccan adolescents aged 10 to 19 years, by using Google Forms for an online survey. A total of 375 adolescents participated in this national survey. The statistical analysis of the results allowed, on the one hand, detecting the effect of confinement on the eating behaviors of adolescents, and on the other hand, to predict the variables that could constitute risk factors for the onset of ED or relapse of ED. Results: The analysis of the results shows that the appearance of anxiety in adolescents during confinement represents a highly significant risk factor for ED (OR = 14.10 [95% CI: 2.82 70.96] p =0.001). Conclusion: The analysis of these results allowed us to conclude that confinement has a strong impact on the eating behavior of Moroccan adolescents, making them highly susceptible to developing an ED, hence the need to implement effective environmental prevention strategies to prevent the onset or relapse of ED in adolescents during future confinements.