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The impact of ongoing westernization on eating disorders and body image dissatisfaction in a sample of undergraduate Saudi women

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Abstract

Purpose

This study addressed the prevalence of eating disorders and levels of eating pathology, body image, and psychological comorbidities in undergraduate women in Saudi Arabia. It examined the role of the current internalization of western culture that is under way in that country, focusing on political and economic issues rather than on issues such as media exposure per se.

Method

Participants were 503 Saudi female university students (mean age = 19.78 years). Each completed a diagnostic measure of eating disorders and measures of disordered eating attitudes and behaviours, body image, depression, social anxiety, and self-esteem. They also completed a measure of the internalization of western culture, specific to current political and cultural developments in Saudi Arabia.

Results

Eating disorder prevalence and pathology rates among undergraduates females were comparable to western levels, though the pattern was more one of bulimic than anorexic pathology. Internalization of western values was associated with eating pathology, body image, and psychological comorbidities.

Conclusion

Eating disorders are not an exclusively western issue, as the levels in Saudi undergraduate women are similar to those in western cultures (though they tend more towards bulimic than anorexic presentations). Internalization of western values appears to be key to this pattern.

Level of evidence 

Level III, case-control analytic study.

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Data availability

The data used are available on reasonable request to the corresponding author.

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Acknowledgment

This research was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University through the Fast-track Research Funding Program.

Funding

This research was funded by Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, 3652 Bashir Street, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh, 11671, Saudi Arabia

    Munirah AlShebali

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK

    Munirah AlShebali & Glenn Waller

  3. SABIC Psychological Health Research and Applications Chair, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Ahmad AlHadi

Authors
  1. Munirah AlShebali
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  2. Ahmad AlHadi
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  3. Glenn Waller
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Munirah AlShebali.

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Ethical approval

This project was approved by the University of Sheffield’s Ethics Review Procedure (Psychology Department) and by the Scientific Research Ethics Committee in Princess Noura bint Abdulrahman University (Basic Sciences Department). Participants were given an information sheet, and were asked to give informed consent.

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AlShebali, M., AlHadi, A. & Waller, G. The impact of ongoing westernization on eating disorders and body image dissatisfaction in a sample of undergraduate Saudi women. Eat Weight Disord 26, 1835–1844 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-020-01028-w

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