An ethnic comparison of eating attitudes and associated psychological problems in young British women

The study aimed to investigate possible differences in eating attitudes/problems and associated psychological problems in young women of differing ethnic origin.

In a city with a relatively high Asian population (with a background in the Indian subcontinent), 235 young women aged 18-27 registered with a general practice responded to a postal questionnaire. The questionnaire examined eating and weight problems (including the 26-item Eating Attitudes Test), self-esteem (measured by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale), and general psychological well-being (measured by The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). We also included three short vignettes designed to assess illness perception and health seeking-behavior.

We found relatively little difference in eating attitudes and problems according to ethnicity, although self-induced vomiting for weight control was more common among Caucasian women. Neither was there any difference in self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and illness perception.

The results suggest that one cannot generalize about eating problems across the Asian population and a more sophisticated approach to the examination of sociocultural factors is recommended.