College students may have difficulty noticing the warning signs and risk factors of eating disorders in themselves and in their friends, according to a study presented Monday at the annual American Public Health Association meeting in Washington, D.C.
Ashlee Hoffman, a University of Cincinnati doctoral student in health promotion and education, conducted the study to assess the awareness of college students about the facts, risk factors and warning signs of eating disorders and disordered eating.
To achieve a representative sample, Hoffman surveyed 428 University of Cincinnati students aged 17 to 37.
One in four survey participants reported "lifetime involvement in disordered eating," which Matthew Zimmerman, training director and assistant director for administration for the University Counseling and Psychological Services, defined as partaking in disordered eating at any point in an individual's life.
Hoffman noted the distinction between an eating disorder, which is a serious medical condition diagnosable by the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders," and disordered eating, which is an eating behavior characterized by an "improper means of weight management."
The study found that first- and second-year students had greater familiarity with the primary risk factors associated with disordered eating compared to other students. Hoffman said these students may be more exposed to eating disorder education as issues become more prevalent in media outlets like MTV and HBO.
The study revealed students with eating disorders are less able to correctly identify the risk factors of their disorder. Hoffman said students with eating disorders rationalize the actions associated with their disorder or simply fail to acknowledge the danger of their actions.
About 50 to 60 percent of the 2,000 University students seen in CAPS each year reported suffering from disordered eating, Zimmerman said. Four to 5 percent of those students are diagnosed with an eating disorder. These rates are consistent with national trends in college students.
Study co-investigator Rebecca Vidourek, assistant public health professor at University of Cincinnati, said in an email that universities need to establish additional education and awareness campaigns about eating disorders.
"By educating them on warning signs and risk factors, students will be able to identify friends who need help," she said. "All in all, universities need to recognize that eating disorders are a problem on college campuses and then offer education to help."
Correction: An earlier version of this article has been corrected to clarify the difference between disordered eating and eating disorders. About 50 to 60 percent of University students seen in CAPS each year reported suffering from disordered eating. The article initially said that this percentage reported suffering from eating disorders.
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