Eating pattern disturbances among women medical and graduate students

Abstract

In this study, the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) was used to determine the incidence of disturbed eating patterns and other characteristics of anorexia nervosa and bulimia among women graduate and medical students. The EDI was given to 219 female graduate students and 132 female medical students by mail questionnaire (61% return rate). Excessive dieting concerns, as measured by the Drive for Thinness subscale, were significantly more common in medical students compared to graduate students (18.7% versus 12.9%; p < 0.05). The incidence of bulimic eating patterns was also insignificantly higher in the medical students. The prevalence of bulimia estimated from this survey is similar to that reported in undergraduate women, but the estimated prevalence of anorexia nervosa in both medical and graduate students is lower than reported for younger students. Our data suggest that a competitive environment alone does not appear to lead to greater expression of anorexia nervosa and bulimia.