2026, Volume 32, Issue 1
DISORDERED EATING BEHAVIOURS IN FUTURE MILITARY OFFICERS: ORTHOREXIA AND EMOTIONAL EATING AMONG CADETS OF THE MILITARY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY IN WARSAW IN RELATION TO BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) AND SEX
PAULINA BARAN1, PAWEŁ JAGIELSKI2, MAGDALENA KRZYŻANOWSKA3, KAROLINA BERTRANDT-TOMASZEWSKA3, AGATA GAŹDZIŃSKA3
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1Department of Psychophysiological Measurements and Human Factor Research, Military Institute of Aviation Medicine
2Department of Nutrition and Drug Research, Faculty of Health Science, Jagiellonian University, Medical College
3Laboratory of Dietetics and Obesity Treatment, Department of Psychophysiological Measurements and Human Factor Research, Military Institute of Aviation Medicine
Autor korenspondencyjny: PAULINA BARAN; Department of Psychophysiological Measurements and Human Factor Research, Military Institute of Aviation Medicine; email: pbaran@wiml.waw.pl
Streszczenie
Introduction: Military cadets represent a distinct population in whom disordered eating behaviours may develop before exposure to the demands of operational military service. Data on orthorexia nervosa (ON) and emotional eating (EE) in this group remain scarce. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of ON and EE among cadets of the Military University of Technology (MUT) in Warsaw and to examine their associations with body mass index (BMI) and sex.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 783 MUT cadets (638 men, 145 women; mean age 20.7 ± 3.5 years) participating in the National Health Programme 2021–2025. ON risk was assessed using the ORTO-15 questionnaire, and EE was evaluated with the Emotional Eater Questionnaire (EEQ). Chi-square tests and binary logistic regression were performed to examine associations between ON risk and EE and the independent variables of sex, age, and BMI.
Results: ON risk was identified in 35.0% of cadets and was not significantly associated with BMI or sex. EE was present in 10.6% of respondents and was significantly more prevalent among individuals with overweight or obesity compared to those with normal body weight (15.1% vs. 8.9%; p = 0.015) and among women compared to men (15.2% vs. 9.6%; p = 0.048). Logistic regression confirmed female sex (OR = 1.92) and overweight or obesity (OR = 1.95) as independent predictors of EE. No statistically significant differences in the prevalence of ON or EE were found between MUT cadets and previously studied Polish military flying personnel (p > 0.05).
Conclusions: Disordered eating behaviours are present in military cadets at a scale comparable to that observed in experienced military personnel, suggesting that such patterns may already be present – or may emerge – during the early stages of a military career. As the study employed a cross-sectional design, causal inferences cannot be drawn, and longitudinal research is warranted; nonetheless, early identification of at-risk individuals within military educational settings may help prevent the progression of disordered eating into clinically significant disorders during active service. Hence, psychodietetic support and educational programmes targeting at-risk individuals should be considered from the outset of military education.
Słowa kluczowe
orthorexia nervosa, ORTO-15, emotional eating, Emotional Eater Questionnaire (EEQ), military cadets, BMI, sex, Polish Armed Forces