title: Anorexic eating attitudes and behaviors of male and female college students.
abstract: This study examined gender differences in eating attitudes and behaviors in a sample of 471 undergraduate college students. The prevalence of symptomatology indicative of anorexia was determined using the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26). In addition, the family climate, parent-child dynamics, and self-concept of students with and without maladaptive eating attitudes and behaviors were compared, and the relationship between eating attitudes/behaviors and current psychological distress was examined. Anorexic symptomatology was found for 20% of the females and 10% of the males. In general, students without symptomatic attitudes and behaviors had a more positive self-concept and reported less psychological distress than did those with eating disturbances. The findings suggest that eating problems may be more prevalent among males than previously estimated.
authors.affiliation: Division of AIDS, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Searight
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*