Percepção da Autoimagem e Comportamento Alimentar em Estudantes Universitários .

The present study aimed to analyze how undergraduates perceive their self-image and its relationship with their eating behavior, seeking to identify risky eating behaviors for the development of eating disorders, in addition to knowing the factors that are related to the selfimage of undergraduates. This is a field research, of the descriptive type and with a qualitative approach. The survey was conducted with 83 university students from the general population, aged between 18 and 59 years. The results were analyzed with the support of a selfadministered digital form, through the Google Forms platform. The participants had access to the research through a link sent directly to the WhatsApp groups of different courses from different faculties in Piauí. Data were analyzed using Bardin's content analysis. The findings showed that body dissatisfaction tends to be more and more recurrent and constant in university students, that is, the individual wants his body to be different from the way he perceives it. Among the influencing factors on the eating behavior of young adults, the use of social media stands out and its consequent influence on the causes related to poor diet. Most undergraduates answered that they did not have healthy habits and justified their answer by the lack of time to consume healthier snacks, which could be prepared at home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]