Correlates of eating related difficulties among college students: a preliminary investigation

In this preliminary correlational study, sex, dieting, and rigorous eating were compared to three types of eating related difficulties (binge eating, general symptoms of anorexia nervosa, and more specific obsessions about food and weight). As predicted, significant correlations were obtained between being female, dieting, and more rigorous styles of eating and scoring higher on measures of these eating related difficulties. In addition, there were significant correlations between predictor variables. Females reported more dieting and more rigorous eating. Dieting and rigorous eating also were somewhat related. When extent of dieting and rigorous eating was controlled, the association between being female and scoring higher on these measures was somewhat reduced. The association between being female and binge eating no longer retained significance.