Relação entre dieta vegetariana, comer transtornado e imagem corporal em adolescentes.

Objective: To assess the relationship between a vegetarian diet, disordered eating, and body image in adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two private schools located in the city of São Paulo, with 204 adolescents aged between 15 years and 18 years and 11 months. Body image assessment in boys was conducted using the Male Body Dissatisfaction Scale (short version), while the Body Shape Questionnaire was used for girls. Disordered eating behavior was evaluated using the Eating Attitudes Scale for Adolescents (short version) in both sexes. Individuals who reported not adhering to a vegetarian diet comprised the control group. Statistical analysis was performed according to the behavior of the variables. Results: 92.2% of the studied population consisted of omnivores, with only 7.8% of the sample being vegetarian. In the analysis of the mean scores for body dissatisfaction and disordered eating, no difference was found between the types of diet, although disordered eating was significantly higher among girls. A moderate correlation was observed between disordered eating and body image dissatisfaction in the entire female population and among vegetarians; in boys, the correlation between these variables was weak and only present when considering the entire male population. Conclusions: The frequency of vegetarianism and disordered eating behaviors did not differ between vegetarians and omnivores. However, a relationship was observed between disordered eating and body image dissatisfaction in girls, particularly among vegetarians, highlighting the importance of further investigations in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]