Prevalence and selected correlates of eating disorder symptoms among a multiethnic community sample of midlife women.
BACKGROUND
There is little information about the symptoms of disordered eating or their association with psychological and physical parameters in midlife women.


OBJECTIVE
The aim is to examine (a) the prevalence of binge eating, inappropriate weight control behaviors, and weight and body image concerns among middle-aged community women; (b) whether rates of eating disorder symptoms vary among ethnic groups and are associated with socioeconomic status, weight-related variables, current depressive symptoms or history of major depression, substance abuse or dependence, or childhood abuse; and (c) whether the association between ethnicity and eating disorder symptoms persists after adjustment for covariates.


METHODS
The sample of 589 pre- and early perimenopausal African American, Hispanic, and White women were participants in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN), a U.S. multisite longitudinal study of menopause and aging. Women reported information on sociodemographic, symptom, health, psychosocial and lifestyle variables. DSM-IV disorders were determined, physical measures were obtained, and a questionnaire to assess symptoms of eating disorders was completed.


RESULTS
Rates of regular binge eating, dissatisfaction with eating patterns, and marked fear of weight gain were 11, 29.3, and 9.2%, respectively. African Americans were more likely than were Whites to report fasting. In multivariable analyses, high body mass index (or waist circumference), depressive symptoms, past depression, and history of childhood/adolescence abuse were significantly associated with the Binge Eating and Preoccupation with Eating, Shape and Weight subscale scores.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that further examination of the relationship between eating problems and well being in older women is warranted.
Marcus
Marsha D
MD
Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. marcusmd@upmc.edu
Bromberger
Joyce T
JT
Wei
Hsiao-Lan
HL
Brown
Charlotte
C
Kravitz
Howard M
HM
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015992:Body Mass Index; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005239:Fear; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data