The Rise of Orthorexia in Dance Students

A team of scientists gathered data from 318 students in higher‑education dance programs across four disciplines: classical, contemporary, flamenco, and Spanish dance. They filled out instruments that measured unhealthy eating patterns, psychological distress, and body dissatisfaction. The goal was to examine the connection between these variables and orthorexia nervosa. The participants were enrolled in full‑time programs at various universities.

Statistical tests compared the four groups and examined relationships between variables. Correlation analysis revealed that emotional distress (ρ = 0.80) and body dissatisfaction (ρ = 0.52) were both strongly associated with orthorexia risk. A regression model found that emotional distress, body dissatisfaction, and female sex independently predicted the condition, with odds ratios of 1.32, 1.05, and 6.81 respectively. The model’s ability to separate high‑risk individuals was excellent, yielding an AUC of 0.95. The analysis also showed that discipline alone did not predict risk when other factors were accounted for.

The results indicate that psychological vulnerability, not the type of dance training, is the main driver of orthorexia risk. Incorporating mental‑health checks into dance programs may help lower the risk. Early support could prevent the development of harmful eating behaviors. Policymakers could use these insights to design targeted interventions.

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