Orthorexia nervosa tendency and associated factors in Ondokuz Mayıs University Faculty of Medicine students

AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the tendency to orthorexia nervosa and its related factors in medical students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study. It was carried out with a survey between September and December 2022. In the questionnaire form, the Teruel Orthorexia Scale (TOS), the Instagram Addiction Scale, and International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (UFAA) were used, as well as questions evaluating sociodemographic data and participant characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 515 medical students participated in the study. 53.0% of the participants were women. The mean age of the students was 19.84±1.66 years. 63.3% of the students used Instagram. While the mean score of the Teruel Orthorexia Scale was 15.1±8.5, the mean score of the Instagram Addiction Scale was 39.7±14.9. According to the international physical activity questionnaire, 31.3% of the students were inactive. Those living in student housing, those with a high family income, and those who follow a diet had higher mean scores on the healthy orthorexia, orthorexia nervosa, and Teruel orthorexia scales. Each unit score increase from the orthorexia nervosa subscale increased with age, family income, diet, and Instagram addiction. As the orthorexia nervosa score increased, the scores of the Instagram addiction scale and all its subdimensions increased. CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to a special diet, living in a student residence, having a high family income, and Instagram addiction were factors affecting orthorexia nervosa. There was no difference in the tendency to orthorexia nervosa according to physical activity, chronic disease, smoking, BMI, and sex. There was a positive relationship between Instagram addiction and orthorexia nervosa. Keywords: feeding and eating disorders, social media, physicians, healthy lifestyle