Prevalence & Correlates of Eating
Disordered Behaviors Among Students at
the University of WI-Eau Claire
Sarah Hammon, Catherine Filtz, Kaci Kufalk, Amanda Meyer, Mallory Nitsch,
Meghan Fisher,
P.J. Kennedy, Allen Keniston,
Discussio
Result and David Jewett
Introducti
The prevalence rate for EDs on the
Eating disorders (EDs) are a concern
UWEC campus is consistent with
University
of
Wisconsin-Eau
Claire
among college counselors. Prevalence
previous
findings,
within
the
range
n
s
on
rates of diagnosed
EDs on college
Summary
of
Demographics
&
Measure
Scores
of 1-3% (Franko et al., 2005).
campuses range between 1-3% (Franko
et al., 2005). Locating and treating this
group as early as possible is key to
treatment (Hoyt & Ross, 2003). But little
is known about correlates of eating
disorders that might aid their
identification and treatment (Hoyt &
Ross, 2003).
Some characteristics do correlate with
EDs. For example, depression correlates
positively with EDs and eating disordered
behavior (Levey & Dixon, 1985). Body
shape satisfaction correlates positively
with EDs and eating disordered behavior
(Cooper, Taylor, Cooper, & Fairburn,
1987). Women are less satisfied with
their body shape and consider
themselves more overweight than men
(Rolls, Fedoroff, & Guthrie, 1991).
We sought to determine whether
depression, self-esteem, and body shape
satisfaction measures as well as standard
demographic descriptors correlated with
a diagnosed ED and a measure of eating
disordered behavior among college
students at UWEC. Our goal was to
1)A measure of eating disordered
assess and target possible preventative
behavior will correlate with measures of
or therapeutic interventions.
depression, self-esteem, and body
shape satisfaction.
2)Individuals with a diagnosed ED (past
or present) will score higher on a
measure of disordered eating.
3)Women will score significantly higher
on a measure of disordered eating than
men.
Hypotheses
Metho
d
Participants
Participants were 102 males and 276
females
(M = 20.65 years, SD = 3.23 years) who
volunteered from a random sample of
2,000 undergraduate students.
Materials and Procedure
A web-based survey program was
used to collect data. Included were a
consent form, Rosenthals Self-Esteem
Scale, the Zung Depression Scale, the
Body Shape Questionnaire, the EDE-Q4,
questions about demographics, and a
debriefing form that offered evidence of
participation.
The EDE-Q4 consists of questions
about disordered eating behavior, such
as On how many days out of the past 28
days have you been deliberately trying
to limit the amount of food you eat to
influence your shape or weight? The
seven-point scale ranges from No Days
to Everyday.
Participants reported their sex, age,
height, weight, major, cumulative GPA.,
and number of class absences during the
Fall semester of 2008.
Participants
Men
Women
Current ED
Past ED
No ED
N
378
102
276
3
10
365
EDE-Q4 Score Body Shape
1.15 (1.29)
2.35 (1.08)
0.85 (0.98)
1.62 (0.68)
1.67 (1.32)
2.62 (1.07)
2.90 (1.66)
3.13 (1.21)
3.02 (1.12)
3.64 (1.31)
1.44 (1.28)
2.31 (1.05)
Self Esteem
8.11 (2.13)
8.33 (2.14)
8.03 (2.12)
6.67 (4.16)
7.30 (2.21)
8.15 (2.10)
Depression
62.58 (7.48)
62.82 (6.62)
62.49 (7.79)
61.67 (12.06)
58.30 (9.99)
62.71 (7.36)
Age
20.65 (3.23)
20.89 (2.33)
20.55 (3.50)
22.33 (3.51)
21.30 (3.95)
20.61 (3.21)
GPA
3.32 (0.44)
3.17 (0.49)
3.37 (0.41)
3.60 (0.40)
3.41 (0.37)
3.31 (0.44)
BMI
24.14 (4.34)
24.28 (3.85)
24.09 (4.52)
22.26 (1.63)
24.40 (4.48)
24.15 (4.36)
BMI Categories
Underweight = <18.5
Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
Overweight = 25-29.9
Obesity = BMI of 30 or
greater
Correlations Among
Measures
EDE-Q4
EDE-Q4
Body
Shape
Body Depression
Self
BMI
Shape
Esteem
GPA
---.91**
.91**
----
-.38**
-.38**
-.33** .34**
-.34** .34**
.01
.08
Depression -.38**
Self
-.33**
Esteem
-.38**
-.34**
---.64**
.64**
----
-.09
-.09
.02
.05
.34**
.08
-.09
.02
-.09
.05
----.15*
-.15*
----
BMI
GPA
.34**
.01
Regression Table
Body Shape
Standardized
Beta
R
.92
.85
F
Hypothesis 1
Body shape positively correlates
with the EDE-Q4 r (378) = .91, p <
.001.
Depression negatively correlates
with the EDE-Q4 r (355) = -.38, p
< .001.
Self-esteem negatively correlates
with the EDE-Q4 r (378) = -.33, p
< .001.
Hypothesis 2
Individuals who have a present or
past diagnosed ED (M = 2.99, SD
= 1.19) scored significantly higher
on the EDE-Q4 than those without
a diagnosis (M = 1.44, SD =
1.28), t (376) = -4.51, p < .001.
Hypothesis 3
Women scored significantly higher
on measures of disordered eating
behavior (M = 1.67, SD = 1.32)
than men (M = 0.85, SD = 0.98),
t(243) = 6.59, p < .001. This is
consistent with past research
finding women are under more
pressure to remain thin than men
(Rolls, Fedoroff, & Guthrie, 1991).
BMI Findings
A medium-large correlation
between BMI and both EDE-Q4 and
Body Shape scores occurred at the
p < .001 level. As BMI scores rise
so do scores of disordered eating
and dissatisfaction with ones
body
Limitations
*= p
< .01
**= p
< .001
df
1957.34 1, 353
EDE-Q4 Score = 1.08 (BS) - .707
A small change in Body Shape Satisfaction Score (BS) will have an influence on EDE-Q4 score,
whereas a small change on the Zung Depression Inventory (ZD) or Self Esteem Measure (SE) will
have virtually no influence on EDE-Q4.
Due to the length of the survey and
the personal content of the
measures, completion rates were
low. Also, there was little variability
in the population as a whole.
Conclusion
EDs remain a concern for college
counselors. The current study was
used to identify the prevalence and
the correlates of EDs on the UWEC
campus. Three percent of our
sample reported a past or present
diagnosis, but only .003% of the
student population has utilized
counseling
services
EDs in Clinical
the
Hoyt, W. D., &
Ross, S.for
D. (2003).
past.
By knowing
the
prevalence
and
subclinical
eating
disorders
in
counseling
centerofclients:
A the
prevalence
and correlates
EDs on
UWEC
study.
Journal
of College
Students
campus,
counseling
services
will be
Psychotherapy,
17, 39-53.
able to efficiently
assist the at-risk
population through preventative
Rolls, B. J., Fedoroff, I. C., & Guthrie, J. F.
and
therapeutic interventions.
(1991). Gender differences in eating
References
behavior and body weight regulation.
Health Psychology, 10, 133-142.
Acknowledgme
We thank the Office of Research and
Sponsored Programs
at UWEC for
nts
their support along with Counseling
Services.