Do changes in eating behaviors signal rising mental health concerns among Saudi high schoolers?

Abstract Background Deteriorated eating attitudes have emerged as a prominent psychiatric illness with increasing prevalence in industrialized societies. This research endeavors to investigate the relationships between deteriorated eating patterns and mental health among Saudi high school students after the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods A sample of 2817 students from two high schools in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, completed a questionnaire about their demographic characteristics and symptoms of anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-9), and deteriorated eating patterns (Eating Attitudes Test 26) via convenience sampling technique. Multiple regression analysis was carried out to predict the potential associations between deteriorated eating patterns and levels of anxiety and depression among the study participants. Results The findings demonstrated a moderate and statistically significant correlation between deteriorated eating patterns and levels of anxiety and depression among the participants in the study. In evaluating the three dimensions of deteriorated eating patterns through regression analysis, it is observed that dieting (anxiety: β = 0.275, depression: β = 0.287) exhibits the highest potential in predicting the levels of anxiety and depression, followed by oral control (anxiety: β = 0.240, depression: β = 0.232) and bulimia & food preoccupation (anxiety: β = 0.218, depression: β = 0.186). Conclusions The findings highlight the necessity to place additional emphasis on students displaying deteriorated eating patterns and symptoms, as these individuals may potentially be experiencing accompanying mental health concerns warranting further assessment.