A Cross-Sectional Study on Prevalence and Association Between Sociodemographic Factors, Body Mass Index and the Development of Eating Disorders among Undergraduates of University of Cyberjaya

Eating disorders are severe conditions marked by disrupted eating habits, thoughts, and emotions, with primary types being Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge-eating disorder. The prevalence of these disorders is rising globally and pose significant threats to both mental and physical health. This study aims to determine the prevalence of developing eating disorders among undergraduates of University of Cyberjaya and to determine the associations between sociodemographic factors, gender, Body Mass Index (BMI), and the development of eating disorders. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was done among undergraduates of University of Cyberjaya across seven faculties of study who fulfil the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Stratified random sampling followed by convenience sampling was used in this research. Data collection was done by distributing online questionnaires. Out of 250 respondents, 76% of the participants were female, 65.6% were Malays and 57.6% were aged 21 to 25 years old. This study showed that 54% of the participants are at risk of developing an eating disorder. This study also proved that there is significant association between BMI (p = 0.05) and ethnicity (p = 0.01) with the development of eating disorders. However, no significant associations were found for gender (p = 0.91), age (p = 0.98), residency (p = 0.62), faculty of study (p = 0.90), and monthly allowance (p = 0.83). These results indicate the critical need for targeted interventions focusing on BMI and ethnic backgrounds to address and mitigate the risk of eating disorders among undergraduate students from University of Cyberjaya.