An ethnic comparison of eating attitudes and associated psychological problems in young British women.
OBJECTIVE
The study aimed to investigate possible differences in eating attitudes/problems and associated psychological problems in young women of differing ethnic origin.


METHODS
In a city with a relatively high Asian population (with a background in the Indian subcontinent), 235 young women aged 18-27 registered with a general practice responded to a postal questionnaire. The questionnaire examined eating and weight problems (including the 26-item Eating Attitudes Test), self-esteem (measured by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale), and general psychological well-being (measured by The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). We also included three short vignettes designed to assess illness perception and health seeking-behavior.


RESULTS
We found relatively little difference in eating attitudes and problems according to ethnicity, although self-induced vomiting for weight control was more common among Caucasian women. Neither was there any difference in self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and illness perception.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that one cannot generalize about eating problems across the Asian population and a more sophisticated approach to the examination of sociocultural factors is recommended.
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Leicestershire Mental Health Service NHS Trust, University of Leicester, United Kingdom.
Reveley
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Palmer
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D001290:Attitude; D001294:Attitude to Health; D044383:Black People; D001828:Body Image; D001835:Body Weight; D015897:Comorbidity; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology