Higher orthorexia tendency among female fashion models: an empirical international study

• Published in: Eating and weight disorders Vol. 29; no. 1; pp. 44 - 8
• Main Authors: Bogár, Nikolett, Dukay-Szabó, Szilvia, Simon, Dávid, Túry, Ferenc
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 27-06-2024; Springer Nature B.V; Springer
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Body Image - psychology; Body Mass Index; Eating behavior; Eating disorder; Eating disorders; Fashion models; Feeding and Eating Disorders - diagnosis; Feeding and Eating Disorders - psychology; Feeding Behavior - psychology; Female; Females; Health Behavior; Healthy eating; Humans; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Obsession; Orthorexia nervosa; Psychiatry; Questionnaires; Surveys and Questionnaires; Thin beauty ideal; Young Adult; Fashion models; Obsession; Healthy eating; Eating disorder; Thin beauty ideal; Orthorexia nervosa
• ISSN: 1590-1262; 1124-4909; 1590-1262
• DOI: 10.1007/s40519-024-01674-4

Purpose
Female fashion models are more at risk for developing eating disorders than non-models due to the intense occupational pressure they face. The present study focuses on assessing whether female models are more prone to report orthorexia nervosa signs and symptoms than non-models.
Methods
Female fashion models (
n
 = 179, mean age: 25.9 SD = 4.40 years) and an age adjusted control group (
n
 = 261, mean age: 25.0 SD = 4.97 years) were selected by snowball sampling. Participants filled out an online survey containing anthropometric questions and the 18-item Eating Habits Questionnaire.
Results
According to BMI, fashion models were underweight (mean BMI = 18.1 SD = 1.68) while control participants’ BMI was in the normal range (mean = 22.1 SD = 4.23,
p
 < 0.001). On all three of Eating Habits Questionnaire subscales fashion models showed significantly higher average value (Knowledge subscale:
M
 = 2.42 among models versus
M
 = 2.08 in the control group,
p
 < 0.01, Cohen’s
d
 = 0.52; Problems subscale:
M
 = 1.93 among models versus
M
 = 2.61 in the control group,
p
 < 0.01, Cohen’s
d
 = 0.49; Feelings subscale:
M
 = 3.20 among models versus
M
 = 2.96 in the control group,
p
 < 0.01, Cohen’s
d
 = 0.38). Orthorexic tendencies were reported by 35.1% of the models versus 20.2% of controls.
Conclusion
Fashion models are at risk for the development of eating disorders. Even though not yet included in the DSM-5, the assessment of orthorexia nervosa among fashion models seems to be important. It is suggested to take appropriate measures to prevent the spread of disordered eating habits among models as they can lead to the development of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa.
Level of evidence
Level III, well-designed cohort study.