Rita Doumit

Investigating Vulnerability for Developing Eating Disorders in a Multi-confessional Population

The present study aimed to examine the vulnerability to eating disorders (ED) among 949 Lebanese female young adults as well as its association with stress, anxiety, depression, body image dissatisfaction (BID), dysfunctional eating, body mass index, religious affiliation (Christian, Muslim, Druze or Other), religiosity and activity level. Results showed that anxiety had the greatest effect on increasing the predisposition to ED, followed by stress level, BID, depression and restrained eating. Affiliating as Christian was found to significantly decrease the vulnerability to developing an ED. Furthermore, the interaction of anxiety with intrinsic religiosity was found to have a protective role on reducing ED. The current study emphasized a buffering role of intrinsic religiosity against anxiety and ED vulnerability.

Effects of Recording Food Intake Using Cell Phone Camera Pictures on Energy Intake and Food Choice.

BACKGROUND The well-documented increases in obesity and unhealthy dietary practices substantiate the need for evidence-based tools that can help people improve their dietary habits. The current spread of mobile phone-embedded cameras offers new opportunities for recording food intake. Moreover, the act of taking pictures of food consumed may enhance visual consciousness of food choice and quantity. The present study aimed to assess the effect of using cell phone pictures to record food intake on energy intake and food choice in college students. The effectiveness and acceptability of cell phone picture-based diet recording also was assessed. METHODS A repeated measures crossover design was used. One group of participants entered their food intake online during 3 days based on their memory, although a second group recorded their food intake using cell phone pictures as their reference. Participants then crossed over to complete 3 more days of diet recording using the alternate method. Focus groups were conducted to obtain feedback on the effectiveness and acceptability of cell phone picture-based diet recording. RESULTS Intake of meat and vegetable servings were significantly higher in the memory period compared with the cell phone period, regardless of the order. Results from the focus group indicated a positive attitude toward the use of cell phone pictures in recording food intake and an increased awareness of food choice and portion size. LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION Cell phone pictures may be an easy, relevant, and accessible method of diet self-monitoring when aiming at dietary changes. Future trials should combine this technique with healthy eating education.

Anxiety as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Body Image and Restrained Eating

PURPOSE To examine three indicators of psychopathology (stress, anxiety, and depression) as potential moderators of the relationship between body image dissatisfaction (BID) and restrained, emotional, and external eating, while controlling for family-related variables (i.e., household income, living situation, and psychopathology in the family) and individual variables (i.e., body mass index, physical activity, and major life events). DESIGN AND METHODS A descriptive, correlational cross-sectional design was used. A sample of 894 female undergraduates aged between 18 and 25 completed a self-reported questionnaire. FINDINGS Moderation analyses indicated that anxiety significantly moderated the relationship between BID and restrained eating, whereas depression and stress did not. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Findings may be used in the development and implementation of education and prevention programs for disordered eating in college campuses. The usefulness of these findings for nursing practice is discussed.

Serenity in political uncertainty.

College students are often faced with academic and personal stressors that threaten their well-being. Added to that may be political and environmental stressors such as acts of violence on the streets, interruptions in schooling, car bombings, targeted religious intimidations, financial hardship, and uncertainty of obtaining a job after graduation. Research on how college students adapt to the latter stressors is limited. The aims of this study were (1) to investigate the associations between stress, uncertainty, resilience, social support, withdrawal coping, and well-being for Lebanese youth during their first year of college and (2) to determine whether these variables predicted well-being. A sample of 293 first-year students enrolled in a private university in Lebanon completed a self-reported questionnaire in the classroom setting. The mean age of sample participants was 18.1 years, with nearly an equal percentage of males and females (53.2% vs 46.8%), who lived with their family (92.5%), and whose family reported high income levels (68.4%). Multiple regression analyses revealed that best determinants of well-being are resilience, uncertainty, social support, and gender that accounted for 54.1% of the variance. Despite living in an environment of frequent violence and political uncertainty, Lebanese youth in this study have a strong sense of well-being and are able to go on with their lives. This research adds to our understanding on how adolescents can adapt to stressors of frequent violence and political uncertainty. Further research is recommended to understand the mechanisms through which young people cope with political uncertainty and violence.

Media, Technology Use, and Attitudes: Associations With Physical and Mental Well‐Being in Youth With Implications for Evidence‐Based Practice

BACKGROUND Previous research has shown that the use of technology and media, in their different available forms, may have detrimental effects on the physical and mental well-being of adolescents and young adults. AIMS The present study aimed to investigate the use of different types of technology and media, attitudes toward them, and how they relate to physical and mental well-being in Lebanese university students. METHODS A descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional design was used. A sample of 244 undergraduates completed a self-report measuring media and technology use and attitudes, eating-related variables (e.g., healthy eating, body image dissatisfaction [BID], and eating disorders [EDs] risk), trait emotional intelligence (TEI), and psychopathology indicators (stress, anxiety, and depression). RESULTS The use of mobile phone multimedia (music, pictures, and videos) correlated with unhealthy eating and stress. Social media use was associated with BID, EDs risk, and the self-control construct of TEI. Anxiety of separation from technological devices and dependence on them was associated with increased BID, EDs risk, depression, and anxiety. LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION Practical implications are discussed in terms of setting limits and boundaries on technology use during childhood and adolescence, and encouraging healthy eating and physical activity at home and on college campuses. Moreover, social media could be used as a platform for intervention and prevention programs to decrease BID, EDs, depression, and anxiety.

Predictors of disordered eating in young males

Recent findings suggest that disordered eating (DE) symptomatology may be underestimated in the male population. The present study examined depressive symptomatology as a potential mediator of the relationships between body image dissatisfaction, strategies to change body weight and muscles, media pressure, and DE (emotional, restrained and emotional eating) in 260 male undergraduates who completed a self-reported questionnaire. Path analyses indicated that media influence and strategies to decrease body weight had direct positive effects on depressive symptomatology, which in turn predicted emotional eating. Media influence had a direct positive effect on emotional eating, whereas strategies to decrease body weight did not exhibit a direct effect on emotional eating. Therefore, the latter pathway was removed from the model. The link between media pressure, strategies to decrease body weight and emotional eating was partially mediated by depressive symptomatology. The present findings can inform the development and implementation of prevention and education programs for DE in schools and universities.