Eating related problems amongst Iberian female college students
- Machado, Paulo Pinto Pereira
- Calado Otero, María
- Gonçalves, Sónia Ferreira
- Martins, Carla
- Lameiras Fernández, María
ISSN: 1697-2600
Year of publication: 2004
Volume: 4
Issue: 3
Pages: 495-504
Type: Article
More publications in: International journal of clinical and health psychology
Abstract
The current survey descriptive study evaluates the prevalence of eating related problems amongst a sample of first-year female college students attending an university campus in one of two areas of the Northwest of the Iberian Peninsula in Europe. A total of 1079 students participated in the current study, 486 from a large university campus of the North of Portugal (Minho), and 595 from two large university campuses of the Northwest of Spain (Galicia). Participants responded to the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) and to a questionnaire designed at assessing eating related habits and problems. Results showed that a significant number of students scored high on the EDI and showed considerable prevalence of eating related problems. Based on this self reported data, it is estimated that the prevalence of eating disorders on these peripheral areas of both countries is not significantly different than what is common in other European areas or countries. Keywords: Eating Disorders. Epidemiology. Prevalence.