Prevalencia del trastorno por atracón en los estudiantes de la Universidad Católica de Cuenca sede Azogues, Ecuador 2024-2025

Abstract

Binge eating disorder (BED) represents a global problem that impacts students from emotional and physical health. This study focused on evaluating the prevalence of BED in medical students at the Catholic University of Cuenca, Azogues Campus, between 2024 and 2025. For this purpose, a quantitative approach with a cross-sectional descriptive design was used, with a sample of 293 randomly selected students. The OEWP-R and S-EDE-Q questionnaires were administered to identify the disorder and associated factors. Discussion: The results showed that BED mainly affected women (15.7%) and young people aged 21 to 23 years (43.8%). It was found that feelings of guilt were more common among women (91.3%) and students aged 18 to 20 years (95.8%). Studies have shown that there is a significant link between psychological and nutritional factors associated with binge eating. Conclusion: Negative body image perception (OR = 5.35) and dietary restriction habits (OR = 10.10) were identified as the factors with the strongest association. These results support the factors described in the development of the disorder. The high prevalence of BED observed in the sample indicates the need for more focused attention on these aspects within the academic context. Keywords: arterial hypertension, non-pharmacological treatment, non-adherence, determining factors