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Effect of Eating Disorder Education on Eating Disorder Knowledge among Female University Students in Nigeria

Abstract

Eating disorders are important mental health and public health concerns that may affect young women and can have serious consequences for physical health, psychological wellbeing, academic functioning, and social relationships. Female university students in Nigeria may experience academic pressures, body-image concerns, social comparison, peer influence, cultural expectations, social media exposure, and other pressures that may influence eating behaviours and perceptions of body shape and weight. However, limited knowledge, misconceptions, stigma, and inadequate awareness of eating disorders may delay recognition and appropriate help-seeking. Eating disorder education provides an opportunity to equip female university students with accurate information about eating disorders, including their types, risk factors, warning signs, health consequences, prevention strategies, treatment options, and available sources of professional support. Against this background, this study investigates the effect of eating disorder education on eating disorder knowledge among female university students in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on the Health Belief Model, Social Cognitive Theory, and the Theory of Planned Behavior. The Health Belief Model explains how female students' perceptions of susceptibility to eating disorders, perceived severity, perceived benefits of education, perceived barriers, and cues to action may influence their acquisition and use of eating disorder knowledge. Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes the roles of knowledge, self-efficacy, observational learning, social interaction, and environmental influences in shaping health knowledge and behaviours. The Theory of Planned Behavior explains how attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, and behavioural intentions may influence students' understanding of eating disorders and willingness to seek appropriate support. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how eating disorder education may influence eating disorder knowledge among female university students in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative quasi-experimental or analytical cross-sectional research design. The study population will comprise female undergraduate students enrolled in selected public and private universities across Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select states, universities, faculties, departments, and eligible students. Eating disorder education will be measured using indicators such as exposure to structured educational sessions, frequency and duration of education, information about common eating disorders, risk factors, warning signs, psychological and physical consequences, healthy eating concepts, body-image awareness, social media influences, misconceptions, stigma reduction, prevention strategies, treatment options, professional support, counselling services, and referral pathways. Eating disorder knowledge will be assessed using indicators such as the ability to identify common eating disorders, recognize behavioural and psychological warning signs, understand risk factors, distinguish eating disorders from ordinary dietary choices, understand potential physical and psychological consequences, identify misconceptions, recognize the importance of early professional assessment, understand basic treatment and support options, and identify appropriate sources of reliable information and professional assistance. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires, case-based scenarios, and appropriately validated eating disorder knowledge instruments administered before and after the educational intervention where a quasi-experimental design is used. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize students' demographic and academic characteristics, exposure to eating disorder education, and knowledge levels. Inferential statistical techniques, including paired or independent sample tests, chi-square tests, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the effect of eating disorder education on eating disorder knowledge. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that eating disorder education has a significant positive effect on eating disorder knowledge among female university students in Nigeria. Students exposed to structured eating disorder education are expected to demonstrate improved knowledge of eating disorder types, risk factors, warning signs, health consequences, misconceptions, prevention approaches, treatment options, and appropriate sources of professional support compared with their baseline knowledge or students without similar educational exposure. Interactive educational approaches involving case discussions, body-image awareness activities, media-literacy sessions, group discussions, and practical scenarios may strengthen students' understanding of eating disorders and encourage accurate perceptions of healthy eating and body image. Improved knowledge may facilitate earlier recognition of concerning behaviours and encourage appropriate help-seeking. However, cultural expectations concerning body size, social comparison, peer influence, social media exposure, stigma, misconceptions, limited access to specialized eating disorder services, and concerns about disclosure may limit the effectiveness and sustainability of eating disorder education. The study therefore expects accessible, culturally sensitive, evidence-based, and sustained eating disorder education to contribute significantly to improved eating disorder knowledge among female university students in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on eating disorder education, eating disorder knowledge, female university students, body image, eating behaviours, mental health literacy, health education, early recognition, mental health promotion, and public health in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the National Universities Commission, Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, university administrators, student affairs departments, university health centres, counselling centres, psychologists, psychiatrists, dietitians, nutritionists, counsellors, public health practitioners, student organizations, development partners, and policymakers regarding strategies for improving awareness of eating disorders among young women. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating eating disorder education into university health and student wellbeing programmes, strengthening counselling and referral systems, promoting healthy body-image perceptions, improving media literacy, reducing stigma, increasing access to appropriate mental health and nutritional support, and establishing sustainable eating disorder awareness and education programmes across universities in Nigeria.

Keywords: Eating disorder education, eating disorder knowledge, female university students, eating disorders, body image, eating behaviours, mental health literacy, health education, early recognition, mental health promotion, Nigeria, public health.