Disordered Eating Behaviors Among College Students

Abstract

Eating disorders have become more prevalent among young adults, specifically college-aged students. While eating disorders are known as one of the deadliest mental illnesses, they impact about 9% of the global population with more than 10,000 deaths in the US per year (1). There has been an increased value placed on the thin ideal, which is associated with the increased prevalence of eating disorders among young adults. There are media pressures placed on women, more than men, to achieve and maintain an unrealistically thin body type (3). On the flip side, men’s idealized body type to maintain is muscular and a low body fat physique. The compensatory behaviors engaged in by men and women tend to differ, however many men may not view binge eating or excessive exercise as an inappropriate compensatory behavior, but rather a muscle-gaining behavior (4). Therefore, the purpose of this research was to determine: 1. Are disordered eating behaviors more prevalent in women or men? 2. Are disordered eating behaviors more prevalent among white college students compared to Black, Indigenous & People of Color (BIPOC) students? It is hypothesized that white, college-aged women experience a higher frequency of disordered eating behaviors compared to men and the BIPOC students.