Associations Between Social Appearance Anxiety, Disordered Eating Attitudes, and Orthorexia Nervosa: A Cross-Sectional Study
Brain and Behavior, cilt.16, sa.8, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 16 Sayı: 8
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1002/brb3.71690
- Dergi Adı: Brain and Behavior
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Directory of Open Access Journals, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: body image, disordered eating attitudes, eating disorders, orthorexia nervosa, social appearance anxiety
- Erciyes Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Objective: Disordered eating attitudes and orthorexia nervosa (ON) represent important public health concerns. Social appearance anxiety may constitute a key psychological factor underlying these patterns. This study aimed to examine social appearance anxiety as associated with disordered eating attitudes and ON in a large adult sample. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire. A total of 827 adults (614 female [74.2%] and 213 male [25.8%]) were included in this study, with a mean age of 30.1 ± 7.6 years. Data were collected using the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26), the Orthorexia Nervosa Inventory (ONI), and the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS). Group comparisons were performed using independent samples t-tests and one-way analysis of variance, and linear regression analyses were conducted to assess the predictive role of social appearance anxiety. Results: Social appearance anxiety scores were significantly higher among females, single individuals, and participants with lower physical activity levels (p < 0.05). Participants at risk for disordered eating and those with higher ON tendencies exhibited significantly elevated SAAS scores (p < 0.01). Linear regression analyses indicated that social appearance anxiety was independently associated with both disordered eating attitudes and orthorexia nervosa after adjustment for sociodemographic variables (p < 0.001). Discussion: Social appearance anxiety appears to be a significant psychological factor associated with both disordered eating attitudes and ON. These findings underscore the importance of addressing appearance-related concerns in the prevention and management of maladaptive eating behaviors.