A description of disordered eating behaviors in Latino males

Abstract

Objective: To explore disordered eating and eating disorders (EDs) in Latino males.

Participants: Participants are 722 male college students from a larger prevalence study conducted in the University of Puerto Rico system.

Methods: Participants were selected from a list of sections of required courses for first-year students on each campus. Self-report instruments were used to explore ED symptoms (the Eating Attitudes Test [EAT-26] and the Bulimia Test-Revised [BULIT-26-R] and the Beck Depression Inventory depression (BDI).

Results: Overall, 2.26% scored above the cut-off point on the BULIT-R and 5.08% score above the cut-off point on the EAT-26. Of the males, 4.43% reported sufficient frequency and severity to approximate DSM-IV criteria for bulimia nervosa. Depression symptomatology was found in those who scored above the cut-off point on both instruments of EDs.

Conclusion: College health practitioners should be aware of disordered eating in Latino males and include them in efforts to detect disordered eating behaviors in college students.