Saoussen Alouani

Monastir, University hospital of Monastir, Tunisia
Title : Eating disorder and anxiety during Covid-19 pandemic: The Maghrebian experience

Abstract

The Coronavirus pandemic is considered the worst hit that the world had witnessed in centuries. The impact of the pandemic, especially during the lockdown, was not only diverse but also worldwide. The African continent, including the Maghreb, was no exception. The aim of this study was to assess levels of anxiety and eating behaviors and their correlations in Maghrebian countries following the official outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
 It is a cross-sectional study of 754 participants from Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. it took place between April the 30th and July the 2sd 2020. The survey showed that eating disorder represented 45.9% of the sample while 26.8% (202 participants) matched the Anxiety criteria. Statistical significant factors for eating disorder were male gender (p=0.002; OR= 1.760), underweight (p=0.021; OR= 0.306), anxiety (p=0.001; OR= 0.470), bulimia (p=0.000 ; OR= 0.794) and body dissatisfaction (p=0.000 ; OR= 0.920).
This rise goes along with other surveys in different parts of the world. These results can be explained by multiple reasons such as the ‘’food insecurity” mechanism, the excessive feeling of boredom and loneliness resulting from social distancing and the overwhelming overthinking about the onset of a serious economic crisis.
As this pandemic doesn’t seem to have any end any sooner, larger studies are required to explain this international issue in order to come up with efficient solutions.
 
 
 

Biography

 She had her Medical Doctor degree at the age of 25 and then she has completed her master degree in Nutrition and Cancer therapy from Rennes University, France. She has worked long in Oncology department and her three scientific works are still under review.