Longitudinal Course of Eating Disorder Risk Among Undergraduate Females at Brigham Young University

• Main Author: Winters, Erin Blue
• Format: Others
• Published: BYU ScholarsArchive 2005
• Subjects: eating disorders; college students; bulimia; anorexia; longitudinal study; females; undergraduate; Counseling Psychology; Special Education and Teaching
• Online Access: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/700; https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1699&context=etd

This research study examined the prevalence rates and longitudinal course of eating disorder risk among undergraduate females at BYU, and compared the identified prevalence rates at BYU with identified rates at other colleges and universities. Almost 2,000 undergraduate females, in three cohort groups, filled out the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) once a semester for four to eight semesters. Clinical cut-off scores were used to determine what percentage of participants were at high risk for eating disordered behaviors and symptomology. Overall eating disorder risk prevalence rates at BYU ranged from 9-11%. These rates were significantly lower than identified rates at other colleges and universities. The results also showed notable decreases in the percentages of women who fell in the at-risk range as participants progressed through their college years. Freshmen women had the highest risk for disordered eating behaviors.