Prevalence and Correlates of a Positive Screening for Eating Disorders: A Cross-Sectional Study among Children in Lebanese Schools

Background: Eating disorders (ED) are one of the most common psychiatric illnesses that may lead to physical and psychosocial morbidity in children. Our study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with a positive screening for ED among children and young adolescents in multiple Lebanese schools. Method: This cross-sectional study included a convenience sample of 253 students (45.5% females; 76.3% Syrian refugees) aged between 8 and 13 years and recruited from Lebanese private schools. Students were interviewed between February and June 2018 to collect information about sociodemographic factors and health characteristics. Logistic regression analyses were performed, using the SCOFF questionnaire for screening ED as the dependent variable. Results: Among the students, 36.4% tested positive for SCOFF. Logistic regression analyses revealed significant associations between a positive screening for ED and the following factors: being between 8 and 9 years old (p = 0.029), obesity (p = 0.010), experiencing fatigue (p = 0.017), encountering a stressful accident (p = 0.027), undergoing changes in residence, school, or country (p = 0.01), consuming meals from restaurants ≥3/week (p = 0.013), consuming ≤2 fruits/week (p = 0.01) and consuming ≥5 eggs/week (p = 0.01). Approximately 13.4% of students were underweight, while 24.5% were classified as overweight or obese. One-third (32.1%) of students spent between 2 and 5 h/day using digital devices. Half of the students (54.1%) purchased fast food ≥3/week from school cafeterias, and over three-quarters reported fluctuating their food intake in response to emotions such as sadness, fear, anger, or happiness. Conclusion: These findings emphasize the importance of early detection and intervention in addressing abnormal eating behaviors among children.