Determination of the relationship between eating attitude, depression and life satisfaction in students of faculty of medicine

Aim: This study aimed to determine the relationship between the eating attitudes of medical faculty students, sociodemographic data accompanying eating attitude disorders, and depression and life satisfaction. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 339 students from Gaziantep University Medical Faculty. The research employed the Personal Information Form, Eating Attitude Test (EAT-40), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Life Satisfaction Scale (LSS). Data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0. Methods included descriptive statistics, chi-square analysis, Shapiro-Wilk, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis, Dunn, and Spearman correlation analysis. Findings: Of the students, 198 (58.4%) were female, and 141 (41.6%) were male. The EAT-40 score mean was 17.21 ± 9.82, BDI score mean was 16.24 ± 11.1, and LSS score mean was 14 ± 4.32. Statistically significant differences were found in EAT-40 scores based on BMI, depression level, and difficulty falling asleep; in BDI scores based on academic achievement level, smoking, and difficulty falling asleep; and in LSS scores based on family income status, academic achievement level, smoking, and difficulty falling asleep. A positive correlation existed between EAT-40 and BDI scores, while a negative correlation existed between EAT-40 and LSS, and between BDI and LSS. Conclusion: This study emphasizes that eating attitude issues impact not only physical health but also psychology and quality of life. It underscores the need for education and preventive measures concerning eating attitude disorders and the importance of providing treatment when the disorder is present. Keywords: Eating Attitude, Depression, Beck Depression Inventory, Life Satisfaction, Medical Students