Mediating Factors and Demographic Disparities Associated With Disordered Eating in University Students During the Era of COVID-19.

Abstract

Objective: Disordered eating (DE) increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, and a recent systematic review identified marginalised identity, psychological wellbeing, loneliness, stress, higher body mass index (BMI), and internalised weight bias (IWB) contributing to pandemic-era DE. The present study aimed to extend these findings by evaluating hypothesised contributors to pandemic-era DE while evaluating pandemic era stressors among a single, more diverse sample of university students.

Method: A diverse cohort of first-year university students (N = 1289, 43.4% White, 24.2% LGBTQ+) were surveyed in Autumn 2021 about the pandemic's impact on health, socialisation, and academic readiness and performance as part of a larger research project. BMI, IWB, loneliness, self-esteem, depression, DE, screen time, and perceived stress measures were collected. General linear and PROCESS mediation models evaluated group differences and mediators of pandemic-era stressors and DE.

Results: Depression, self-esteem, stress, and loneliness partially mediated the relationship between pandemic-era stressors and DE. IWB partially mediated associations between Pandemic-era stressors and DE, with higher IWB strengthening this relationship; however, greater media exposure and higher BMI strengthened these findings [Figure] the extent to which IWB mediated the relationship between Pandemic-era stressors and DE. Black students had lower DE than other racial groups, while sexual minority students had higher DE, though this differed across genders.

Conclusions: IWB, loneliness, and psychological distress may exacerbate pandemic-era DE. Further, marginalisation of bodies, genders, and sexual orientations may play a role in pandemic-era DE. These factors may help identify students most at-risk for DE and help target preventive care to kerb rising eating disorders rates.