NEW YORK (Reuters) -- A multi-ethnic survey of both male and female college students indicates that men may be more likely to have symptoms of bulimia nervosa than previously thought.
And there are no differences between whites and nonwhites when it comes to the eating disorder, which is characterized by cycles of gorging on food and then inducing vomiting or using laxatives to prevent weight gain.
About 5.5% of white and 5.3% of nonwhite students at two Texas universities had some symptoms of the eating disorder. About 27% of those with bulimia symptoms were men, according to the report in the recent issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology. Previous studies had suggested that bulimia only occurred in 10% to 15% of men.
"Because eating disorders are commonly assumed to be female disorders, they may be underdiagnosed in males," wrote study co-author Dr. Sally Vernon, of the University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center, School of Public Health.
The 1,152 students filled out a questionnaire that included 28 questions on episodes of binge eating, the feeling of a lack of control over binging, self-induced vomiting, use of laxatives, diuretics, dieting, fasting, or vigorous exercise to prevent weight gain and persistent over-concern with body shape and weight.
About 1% of students fit the strict criteria for bulimia nervosa and about 5% -- 6.6% of women and 3.6% of men -- were considered to have some bulimic symptoms.
"Although prevalence estimates were similar for whites (5.5%) and nonwhites (5.3%), white females were three times more likely than white males to report bulimic behaviors, while nonwhite females were only slightly more likely than nonwhite males to report bulimic behaviors," the researchers wrote.
Source: American Journal of Epidemiology (1996;144:450-455)
