Eating attitudes and behaviors in 1,435 South African Caucasian and non-Caucasian college students.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the presence and severity of eating disorder pathology in students representing South Africa's ethnically and culturally diverse population. A questionnaire survey, which involved the Eating Attitude Test and the Bulimic Investigatory Test, was administered to 1,435 South African college students (739 Caucasian and 696 non-Caucasian) from six universities in two urban centers. Black students scored significantly higher than the other ethnic groups on these measures. In addition, a comparable percentage of black and Caucasian female students had scores within the clinical range on these scales. Male students scored consistently lower than female students. This study's findings challenge the notion that eating disorders are primarily a Western, Caucasian phenomenon and raise the possibility that the risk of eating disorders may increase in developing societies.