Socio-demographics and Mental Health Status on Eating Disorders among In-School Adolescents in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Abstract

The study explored the roles of socio-demographic variables (age, gender, and socioeconomic status) and mental health status in the prevalence of eating disorders among in-school adolescents in Ile-Ife Central Local Government Area, Osun State. A descriptive survey design was employed for this study, using a purposively selected sample of 205 respondents (82 females and 123 males) aged 14 to 19 years (M = 16.5 years; SD = 1.5 years). Data were collected on socio-demographic variables such as age, gender, religion, family socioeconomic status, Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire Short (EDE-QS), and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). The results revealed that only one percent of the respondents reported severe levels of eating disorders, while 62% reported inadequate (poor) mental health. The results also revealed that the prevalence of eating disorders was influenced by age (F_2,203 = 1.91, p <0.05), with the late-adolescents (17-19 years old) dominating the moderate eating disorder category. There was a gender difference between Males (M = 17.73; SD = 4.87) versus females (M = 10.75; SD = 5.19) in the prevalence of eating disorders (t203 = 0.93, p <0.05). The results further demonstrated the influence of socioeconomic status (F_2,203 = 1.01, p<0.05) and mental health status (F_2,203 = 1.44, p< 0.05) in the prevalence of eating disorders. The study concluded that though the prevalence of eating disorders found among these in-school adolescents was relative, there was a pressing need to develop strategies to prevent the situation from getting worse.