Disordered eating among a multi-racial/ethnic sample of female high-school athletes

Pernick, Yael; Nichols, Jeanne F.; Rauh, Mitchell J.; Kern, Mark; Ji, Ming; Lawson, Mandra J.; Wilfley, Denise

doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2005.07.003

« Previous Next »Journal of Adolescent Health
Volume 38, Issue 6 , Pages 689-695, June 2006

Disordered eating among a multi-racial/ethnic sample of female high-school athletes

Yael Pernick, M.S.
- Department of Exercise & Nutritional Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
Jeanne F. Nichols, Ph.D.
- Department of Exercise & Nutritional Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
- Address correspondence to: Jeanne F. Nichols, Ph.D., Department of Exercise & Nutritional Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182-7251.
Mitchell J. Rauh, M.P.H., Ph.D., P.T.
- Department of Exercise & Nutritional Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
- Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, Provo, Utah
Mark Kern, Ph.D., R.D.
- Department of Exercise & Nutritional Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
Ming Ji, Ph.D.
- Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
Mandra J. Lawson, M.S., R.D.
- Department of Exercise & Nutritional Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
Denise Wilfley, Ph.D.
- Departments of Psychiatry, Medicine, Pediatrics, and Psychology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri

Received 15 May 2005; accepted 11 July 2005.

Abstract

Purpose

To determine the prevalence of disordered eating (DE) attitudes and behaviors in a multi-racial/ethnic sample of female high-school athletes.

Methods

The Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) was administered to 453 suburban female high-school athletes (277 Caucasian, 103 Latina, and 73 African American; aged 15.7 ± 1.2 years) during their competitive season.

Results

The prevalence of DE in the total sample was 19.6%; among the three ethnic groups, prevalence estimates were 19.2%, 18.4%, and 23.3% for African Americans, Caucasians, and Latinas, respectively. The prevalence estimates of binge eating (12.6%) and vomiting (7.8%) were significantly higher in Latinas as compared to African Americans (5.5%, 1.4%) and Caucasians (5.4%, 2.2%; χ² p < .05). The prevalence of diuretic and laxative use was low among all athletes (< 3%), with no differences by ethnicity (p > .05). After adjusting for body mass index (BMI) and sport, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with Bonferroni post-hoc pair-wise comparisons indicated that Caucasian and Latina athletes scored higher than African Americans on all EDE-Q subscales except eating restraint, which was higher only in Caucasians compared to African Americans (p = .001–.046).

Conclusions

Caucasian and Latina female high-school athletes may be at greater risk for eating disorders than their African American peers. Furthermore, Latina athletes may be particularly at risk for binge-eating disorder. Culturally-sensitive behavioral interventions targeted specifically for high-school athletes are needed to reduce the risk of eating disorders and associated long-term health consequences in this population.

Keywords: Adolescents , Eating disorders , Ethnicity , Exercise , Sport