Monitoring the Prevalence of Eating Disorder Symptoms in Slovak Secondary School Students

The study aims to analyse the risk of eating disorder emergence in secondary school students. Data were collected by questionnaire method. The questionnaire battery consisted of nominal variables and the EDE-Q Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire scale. 776 secondary school students participated in the research. The mean age of respondents was 17. The empirical research identified 247 (31.8%) respondents displaying symptoms of eating disorders at least in one of four examined dimensions of the EDE-Q scale (Restraint, Eating Concerns, Shape Concerns, Weight Concerns). Significant differences were found in eating disorder symptoms regarding the preferred eating form. Respondents ticking the option “I buy my food” achieved the highest scores. Also, a significant difference in eating disorder symptoms was identified according to the accommodation type, where students living in “sublets” can be considered to be at the highest risk in this regard. A significant difference in the prevalence of eating disorder symptoms was also recorded in terms of gender, where girls scored statistically significantly higher than boys in the monitored dimensions.