A systematic review and meta-analysis published in Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity reports that positive screening for disordered eating attitudes and clinically relevant body dissatisfaction was consistently reported among undergraduate Nutrition students in Brazil. The work, led by Elisa Caetano da Silva Souza and colleagues, pooled results from cross-sectional studies to estimate how often these risk indicators appear in this student population and to explore temporal patterns across the available literature.
The authors emphasize an important caution: the pooled prevalence estimates should be interpreted as summary estimates derived from the currently available evidence rather than as definitive national prevalence estimates. This limitation stems from the small number of heterogeneous cross-sectional studies included, which were predominantly based on non-probabilistic samples. In practical terms, the figures describe what the existing studies collectively found, not a precise measurement of the entire Brazilian nutrition student body.
Disordered eating attitudes, as assessed in screening instruments, refer to thoughts and behaviors associated with eating patterns that may fall short of a clinical eating disorder diagnosis but still warrant attention. Body dissatisfaction captures negative evaluations of one’s own appearance at a level considered clinically relevant in the reviewed studies. Both indicators are widely used in nutrition research because the field’s professional focus on food, weight and body image has been hypothesized to place students at elevated risk.
The meta-analytic design places the work at Level I on the evidence hierarchy, the highest tier reserved for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. However, the quality of any meta-analysis depends on the underlying primary studies. Cross-sectional designs capture a single moment in time, meaning they can document how common a characteristic is at measurement but cannot establish when risk develops or what causes it. The exploratory temporal patterns reported in the paper therefore describe trends visible across studies conducted in different years, not changes tracked within the same individuals.
Non-probabilistic sampling presents a further constraint. When study samples are recruited through convenience methods rather than random selection, participants may differ systematically from the broader population of nutrition undergraduates. Heterogeneity, another acknowledged feature of the evidence base, means the included studies varied in their methods, instruments and findings, making any single pooled number less certain.
The findings carry relevance for nutrition education programs in Brazil, since nutrition students represent a professional group whose future work centers on dietary guidance. The authors stop short of recommendations, presenting their results as an evidence summary. Published on 3 November 2026 as an open access article, the study appears under a version note indicating it is shared early to provide faster access to peer-reviewed, accepted research; it is citable and carries a permanent DOI, with a final Version of Record to follow.
Subject of Research: Pooled prevalence of disordered eating attitudes and body dissatisfaction among nutrition undergraduates in Brazil
Article Title: Prevalence and exploratory temporal patterns of disordered eating attitudes and body dissatisfaction among nutrition undergraduates in Brazil: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Article References: da Silva Souza, E. C., Bertholini, C. M. D. C., de Lima, B. R., Borges, G. V., & de Almeida Akutsu, R. C. C. (2026). Prevalence and exploratory temporal patterns of disordered eating attitudes and body dissatisfaction among nutrition undergraduates in Brazil: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-026-01896-8
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.1007/s40519-026-01896-8
Keywords: disordered eating attitudes, body dissatisfaction, nutrition undergraduates, Brazil, systematic review, meta-analysis, cross-sectional studies, non-probabilistic samples, prevalence, eating and weight disorders, student health, screening
News Source: Daisy Hatcher. (November 4, 2026). Meta-analysis finds frequent disordered eating signs among Brazilian nutrition students. Scienmag.
