Age of onset for binge eating and purging during late adolescence: A 4-year survival analysis.

Abstract

This prospective study examined age of onset for binge eating and purging among girls during late adolescence and tested whether dieting and negative affectivity predicted these outcomes. Of initially asymptomatic adolescents, 5% reported onset of objective binge eating, 4% reported onset of subjective binge eating, and 4% reported onset of purging. Peak risk for onset of binge eating occurred at age 16, whereas peak risk for onset of purging occurred at age 18. Adolescents more often reported onset of a single symptom rather than multiple symptoms, and symptoms were episodic. Dieting and negative affectivity predicted onset of binge eating and purging. Findings suggest that late adolescence is a high-risk period for onset of bulimic behaviors and identify modifiable risk factors for these outcomes.

Racial/Ethnic Differences in Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms in Adolescents

“…This is not surprising, given that eating disorder symptoms typically emerge in late adolescence (ages 16-18; Stice et al 1998) while our sample was comprised of young adolescents (aged 11-13). Hispanic females and Black males reported higher levels of eating pathology than individuals from other racial/ethnic groups; however, only racial/ethnic differences in food preoccupation among males reached statistical significance.…”

Effects of a Weight Maintenance Diet on Bulimic Symptoms in Adolescent Girls: An Experimental Test of the Dietary Restraint Theory.

“…Third, because we focused solely on adolescents, our results should also be generalized with caution to younger or older populations. Again, however, we focused on adolescence because this is the peak risk period for onset of bulimic pathology (Stice et al, 1998). Fourth, we used body mass as our indicator of adiposity.…”

Reducing the Risk of Disordered Eating Among Female College Students: A Test of Alternative Interventions

“…At any point in time, 40-45% of girls and young women are trying to lose weight through various means motivated by "normative" body dissatisfaction (French, Story, & Neumark-Sztainer, 1997;Striegel-Moore, Silberstein, & Rodin, 1986). Killen, Hayward, & Taylor, 1998), and prevalence rates are much higher among female college students than in the general population or among men (Dancyger & Garfinkel, 1995).…”

“…These programs (a) are offered to high-risk individuals because they may be more willing to commit to the intervention due to their high levels of distress and because they are most likely to evidence change as a result of the treatment (Stice, Mazotti, Wiebel, & Agras, 2000;Stoolmiller, Eddy, & Reid, 2000), and (b) utilize interactive exercises and homework to apply and integrate the skills taught in the intervention (Stice & Shaw, 2004). Further, college students are an ideal group to target for such interventions because eating pathology is most likely to emerge during this time of life (Lewinsohn, 2000;Stice, Killen, Hayward, & Taylor, 1998), and because programs are most effective when delivered during the period in which eating disorder symptoms are emerging (Maggs, Schulenberg, & Hurrelmann, 1996).In a meta-analysis of eating disorder prevention and intervention programs, Stice and Shaw (2004) found that 53% of the interventions resulted in significant reductions in 4 at least one established risk factor for eating pathology, such as body dissatisfaction. In addition, most of the programs that reduced eating pathology did so by focusing the intervention on the previously established psychosocial risk factors, such as internalization and negative affect.…”

“…At any point in time, 40-45% of girls and young women are trying to lose weight through various means motivated by "normative" body dissatisfaction (French, Story, & Neumark-Sztainer, 1997;Striegel-Moore, Silberstein, & Rodin, 1986). Killen, Hayward, & Taylor, 1998), and prevalence rates are much higher among female college students than in the general population or among men (Dancyger & Garfinkel, 1995).Longitudinal studies have shown that women in college are more likely to identify themselves as overweight, report higher body dissatisfaction, and be at greater risk to engage in disordered eating than women who are not (Heatherton et al, 1997;Vohs, 2001). Moreover, many college students experiencing disordered eating behaviors doubt their symptoms warrant treatment and thus do not pursue therapy (Becker, Franko, Nussbaum, & Herzog, 2004;Meyer, 2005).…”