title: Eating competence of college students in an introductory nutrition course.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Describe eating competence, a positive and flexible way of conceptualizing eating attitudes and behaviors, in students enrolled in an introductory nutrition course.
  
  
  METHODS
  Online completion of the Satter Eating Competence Inventory (ecSI) and self-assessment of eating disorder status by 557 students (343 ages 18-20 years and 180 ages 21-26 years; 377 females) at the beginning of 1 semester. Analysis of variance and post hoc Tukey adjusted tests were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean ecSI score was 30.7 ± 0.29; 47.4% were classified as eating competent, or ecSI ≥ 32. Mean ecSI was higher for males than females (29.4 ± 0.95 vs 27.4 ± 0.77; P < .001). Mean ecSI was higher for students who never had an eating disorder, compared with those reporting current (32.0 ± 0.43 vs 22.9 ± 1.91; P < .001) or past (28.8 ± 0.93; P < .01) eating disorders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Students had limited eating competence, but a majority of males were eating competent. Students who had never had an eating disorder had higher eating competence than students with current or past disorders. Examining nutrition courses as currently taught may reveal ways courses could contribute to eating competence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602-4608, USA. lorabeth_brown@byu.edu
authors.forename: Lora Beth
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Katrina J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.forename: Nora K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Nyland
authors.forename: Dennis L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Eggett
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult