Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 29, 2025

A Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Eating Disorder Analysis and Diagnosis
Published on: May 10, 2022
Bullying as a Risk Factor for Eating Disorder Behaviors Among Students: Secondary Analysis for a Cluster Randomized
Patricia Paiva de Oliveira Galvão1, Juliana Yurgel Valente2, Hugo Cogo-Moreira2
1Department of Preventive Medicine, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Botucatu, 740, sala 404, São Paulo, SP, CEP 04.023-062, Brazil. ppo.galvao@unifesp.br.
Abstract:
This study aimed to examine whether being a victim of bullying predicted body dissatisfaction and eating disorder behavior (EDB). In this study, we performed secondary analysis from a cluster randomized controlled trial among 5208 eight grade students from 73 public schools in three Brazilian cities. Data were collected in 2019 through an anonymous self-report questionnaire on bullying, body dissatisfaction, and EDB. We used factor analysis, multivariate linear regression, and multinomial logistic regression to verify whether being a victim of bullying during the baseline results in body dissatisfaction and EDB at the nine months follow-up for the control and intervention groups. Our results showed that being female (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.22-1.63) is a risk factor for dissatisfaction by overweight. Bullying was not a predictor of body dissatisfaction; however, being a victim of bullying (β 0.40, 95% CI 0.35-0.46) is a predictor of having more EDB, independent of the exposure to the program. Therefore, bullying deserves attention in the school environment.
Related Concept Videos
Bullying
Bulimia Nervosa
Binge Eating Disorders
Anorexia Nervosa
Symptoms and Physical Effects
Individuals with anorexia nervosa commonly exhibit extreme...
Conduct Disorder
Ethnic Identity within a Larger Culture

