Risk factors for maladaptive eating patterns in college women

As the empirical literature on maladaptive eating patterns has grown, the importance of longitudinal studies in establishing causal risk factors has become apparent. The current study reports longitudinal data gathered from the first 20 months of college for female students (n=117). Eating pathology was assessed using a composite measure from the Eating Disorders Inventory. Variables examined as potential risk factors included depression, reassurance seeking, perfectionism, impulsiveness, body dissatisfaction, and stressful events. Eating symptoms were quite stable across the 20-month interval (r=0.68). Although all of the potential risk variables showed significant correlations with eating symptoms, hierarchical regressions controlling for eating symptoms at Time 1 indicated that perfectionism, impulsiveness, and body dissatisfaction failed to uniquely add to the prediction of eating symptoms at Time 2. Depression, reassurance seeking and stressful events did add to this prediction. Failure to find support for variables in a longitudinal design may be due to the age of participants and relative stability of eating symptoms. Perfectionism, and body dissatisfaction may play a causal role in developing eating symptoms at earlier ages, but do not continue to influence the course of these symptoms in late adolescence. Negative affect (depression), needing reassurance in social relationships, and having to deal with stressful events seem to be risk factors for increased eating symptoms in late adolescence.