Perceived stress and body image perception as correlates of eating disorders among pharmacy students in a Nigerian university: A cross-sectional survey

Background: High perceived stress and concerns about body image can potentially trigger eating disorders (ED) among university students. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between EDs and perceived stress and body image among pharmacy students in a Nigerian public university. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among all undergraduate pharmacy students in a Nigerian public university. The Body Shape Questionnaire, Eating Attitudes Test, and Perceived Stress Scale were used for data collection. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test and Pearson correlation tests. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Out of the 417 respondents, more than half were male (52.3%) and aged 21-25 years (53.7%). About 62.6% of the students had a high risk of ED. Although most students (94.5%) had no body shape concern, 87.3% were moderately stressed. Body image perception (r = 0.650, p < 0.001) and perceived stress (r = 0.151, p = 0.002) had a positive correlation with the risk of ED. Conclusion: Higher stress levels and more negative body image perceptions were associated with a higher risk of ED among pharmacy students. Appropriate interventions to reduce stress levels and address body image concerns among pharmacy students are recommended.