Back to Search
Start Over
Eating disorders in the Arab world: a literature review
Eating disorders in the Arab world: a literature review
- Source :
- Journal of Eating Disorders, JOURNAL OF EATING DISORDERS, 8(1). BMC, Journal of Eating Disorders, Vol 8, Iss 1, Pp 1-19 (2020), Journal of eating disorders, 8:59. Springer Science and Business Media LLC
- Publication Year :
- 2020
- Publisher :
- BioMed Central, 2020.
-
Abstract
- BackgroundThe prevalence of eating disorders has been assumed to be low in the Arab world, due to the alleged absence of the thin ideal. However, the Arab world is undergoing rapid sociocultural changes, and there are reports of an increase of the desire to be thin. This literature review therefore provides point-prevalence of Arabs at high risk for eating disorders, and a comprehensive synthesis of correlates of eating disorder symptoms, eating disorder-related variables and of a high risk for eating disorders.MethodSeveral electronic databases were searched for published, peer-reviewed studies between 1986 and 2019 involving several key terms. From 317 screened studies, 81, mainly cross-sectional, were included. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and meta-analyses was used as guidance and the quality of studies were assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale.ResultsEstimates of individuals at high risk for eating disorders ranged from 2 to 54.8%. The eating disorder-related variables identified were desire to be thin, body dissatisfaction, disturbed-, and dieting- eating behavior. Identified correlates were increased affluence, media use, western influences, and obesity. An additional finding was that in some cases eating disorders were expressed somatically rather than psychiatrically.DiscussionIn the Arab world, females were most at risk for eating disorders and eating disorder symptoms. Sociocultural changes gave rise to the thin ideal and the prevalence of obesity, increasing the risk for the development of eating disorder-related variables and eating disorders. The literature on eating disorders in the Arab world suffers from potential limitations due to the use of non-validated assessment tools. Further research is necessary, particularly on the development and validation of a culturally sensitive assessment tool. Improved knowledge is likely to increase the number of people seeking treatment and decrease the stigma of psychotherapy.
- Subjects :
- lcsh:RC435-571
Stigma (botany)
Desire to be thin
Review
Arab
Behavioral Neuroscience
lcsh:Psychiatry
The Thin Ideal
medicine
Prevalence
Nutrition and Dietetics
digestive, oral, and skin physiology
Eating disorder-related variables
medicine.disease
Obesity
Psychiatry and Mental health
Eating disorders
Systematic review
Scale (social sciences)
Culturally sensitive
Correlates
medicine.symptom
Psychology
Dieting
Clinical psychology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 20502974
- Volume :
- 8
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Eating Disorders
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....16e81a41da8c68ae960453606828ff2a