Understanding the role of physical practice and gender in eating disorders among adolescent Spanish students

The objective of this observational mixed-methods study was to explore the relationship between Eating Disorders (ED) and the level of Physical Activity (PA) in high school students. Additionally, the study examined teachers' perspectives and knowledge regarding EDs. The sample included 66 students and six teachers from an educational center in Spain. Students completed the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) to assess the risk of eating disorders and the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A) to measure weekly physical activity levels. Teachers were asked to respond to five questions assessing their knowledge and perspectives on EDs in adolescents. To investigate gender differences, a Mann-Whitney T or U test was conducted based on the normality of the variables, and a Spearman correlation was used to examine relationships between variables. Qualitative data from teachers' responses were coded for analysis. Firstly, the results indicated a significant prevalence (p<0.05) of eating disorders among girls. Moreover, a positive correlation between the level of PA and EDs was observed in the female group. Secondly, teachers' responses generally highlighted the need for greater awareness and training among teachers to detect and manage EDs, underscoring the importance of physical education as a preventive tool.