Brief report: young people at risk for eating disorders in Southeast Brazil

A representative sample of 7-14-year-old young people in southeast Brazil (N=1251) was assessed using standardized parent and youth interviews, thereby identifying an 'at-risk' group of young people who met one or more DSM-IV criteria for anorexia and/or bulimia nervosa. These young people were compared with an age and gender matched comparison group for body mass index (BMI) and socio-economic status (SES). The prevalence of young people at risk for eating disorders was 1.4% (higher in females and rising with age). 'At-risk' individuals did not differ from controls in BMI but were of higher SES. In Brazil, the link between symptoms of eating disorders and higher SES is not just a referral artefact but is evident in a representative community sample. This might reflect a stronger preference for thinness among more westernized social groups.