Autoestima y su relación con los trastornos alimenticios en estudiantes de bachillerato del Colegio “26 de noviembre”, Zaruma 2023

Abstract

Background: Eating Disorders (EDs) are a global public health issue due to their high prevalence, particularly among adolescents (7.8%). Low self-esteem is the primary confirmed psychological trait of vulnerability, as adolescents are more susceptible to factors such as dissatisfaction with body image, the desire to lose weight, and social pressure. This increases the risk of developing eating disorders when attempting to control their weight and appearance through extreme eating behaviors. Objective: To determine self-esteem and its relationship with eating disorders among high school students at “26 de Noviembre” School, Zaruma 2023. Methodology: A quantitative, analytical, cross-sectional study, with a population of 650 high school students from the “26 de Noviembre” School. A sociodemographic questionnaire developed by the authors, the EAT-26 questionnaire, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale were applied. Analysis was performed using SPSS v27 software. The relationship between self-esteem and eating disorders was examined using chi-square (X2) test, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Results: Out of 650 high school students who participated in the study, 13.8% are at risk of presenting eating disorders, while 50.9% exhibit high self-esteem, 25.4% moderate self-esteem, and 23.7% low self-esteem; Additionally, a statistically significant relationship was identified between self-esteem and EDs with a p-value of 0.001. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that self-esteem influences the onset of eating disorders, as higher self-esteem correlates with a lower risk of eating disorders.