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

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.