Risk for disordered eating relates to both gender and ethnicity for college students.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the frequency of disordered eating behaviors among college students and associations by gender, ethnicity, participation in social organizations and college athletics and to determine whether responses to eight health behavior and attitude questions and body weight predicted a high score on the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT)-26, a screening instrument used to identify risks of developing an eating disorder.


METHODS
Subjects were a convenience sample of 1,899 college students (cleaned to 1620) who attended four classes, were members of 14 sororities or lived in five residence halls. Students reported height and weight and responded to the EAT-26 and eight items regarding health behaviors and attitudes.


RESULTS
Among women and men, 4.5% and 1.4%, respectively, reported previous treatment for an eating disorder, and 10.9% of women and 4.0% of men were at risk for eating disorders (scores > or = 20 on EAT). Among African-Americans, 8.3% of women were at risk. One group of women who lived separately in a social sorority had the highest risk of 15%. The frequency of "weight concerns interfering with academic performance" and "eliminating high fat foods" was moderately correlated to risk for disordered eating for both genders. Body mass only weakly related to risk for disordered eating and the association varied by subgroup.


CONCLUSIONS
Students at risk for disordered eating report weight concerns interfering with their academic performance and include both men and African-Americans, as well as Caucasian American women. Sorority women living in separate residences might be at increased risk.
Hoerr
Sharon L
SL
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, College of Human Ecology, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824, USA. hoerrs@msu.edu
Bokram
Ronda
R
Lugo
Brenda
B
Bivins
Tanya
T
Keast
Debra R
DR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires