1405 - THE MEDIATING ROLE OF HEALTH CONCERNS ABOUT FOOD AND HEALTH-RELATED ISSUES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AND ORTHOREXIA NERVOSA

Session: D15S002 - Clinical and Health Psychology
AUTHORS:
Jodlowska Izabela (Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw ~ Wroclaw ~ Poland) , Brytek-Matera Anna (Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw ~ Wroclaw ~ Poland)
Abstract text:
Introduction: Previous studies have established that psychological distress increases the risk for poor health outcomes. Recent evidence indicates that psychological distress, indicated by stress, anxiety, and depression, has significant positive associations with orthorexia nervosa (ON). Additional mediating variables may influence the strength and nature of this relationship, warranting further investigation into the underlying mechanisms connecting distress and ON.
Purpose: This study examined the relationship between psychological distress, health concerns and ON in a general population sample of adults. Additionally, we investigated whether health concerns about food and health-related issues function as a mediator in the relationship between psychological distress and ON, thereby elucidating potential mechanisms driving this association.
Methods: The sample consisted of 426 participants from the Polish general population, aged 18 to 76 years. We used the Polish versions of the Düsseldorf Orthorexia Scale, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale and the Health Concerns Scale.
Results: Psychological distress was positively associated with both health concerns and ON. The mediation analysis revealed that higher levels of psychological distress significantly predicted higher levels of health concerns (b = 0.516, p < 0.001). Higher levels of health concerns significantly predicted ON (b = 0.143, p < 0.001). Higher levels of psychological distress were associated with ON (b = 0.089, p < 0.01). The indirect effect of psychological distress on ON via health concerns was statistically significant (effect value = 0.074, 95% CI = [0.094 to 0.101]), indicating that health concerns significantly mediated the relationship between psychological distress and ON.
Conclusions: Limited research has investigated how health concerns are conceptualised in relation to ON. Our findings demonstrated a significant indirect pathway from psychological distress to ON through health concerns about food and health-related issues. Its mediating role highlights the importance of addressing food and health-related issues in interventions aimed at reducing distress in people at risk of ON.