Psicopatologia alimentar e ortorexia nervosa em vegetarianos e não vegetarianos brasileiros: um estudo transversal

Background: This study aimed to assess eating psychopathology and orthorexia nervosa (ON) in vegetarians (VEG) and non-vegetarians (NVEG). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with individuals from different locations throughout Brazil. The Eating Disorder Examination–Questionnaire Version (EDE-Q) and Düsseldorf Orthorexia Scale were used. Results: There were no differences in EDE-Q (median 1.06 vs. 1.11 points, p=0.76) between VEG (n=95) and NVEG (n=88), and the scores compatible with eating disorders were similar between groups (27.4% vs. 27.3%, p=1.00). DOS was higher in VEG than in NVEG (median 20 vs. 17.5, p=0.04). VEG presented a higher frequency of DOS ≥25 (indicative of increased risk of ON: 20% vs. 9,1%, p=0.04). VEG group presented 1.9 points (CI95% 0.3 – 3.5) higher DOS score than NVEG, even when adjusted for sex and body mass index (BMI) (p=0.02). The interaction between VEG and BMI was significant for the EDE-Q score prediction (p=0.01). The magnitude of the association between BMI and EDE-Q was higher in the VEG group. For each 1 kg/m² increase in BMI, there was a 0.22 (CI95%: 0.16 – 0.29) point increase in the EDE-Q score in the VEG group and a 0.11 (CI95% 0.06 – 0.17) point increase in the NVEG group (p=0.01), adjusted for sex. Conclusion: VEG seems to be at increased risk for ON, and the association between BMI and eating psychopathology was higher in magnitude in the VEG than in the NVEG.