The Risk of Eating Disorders Among Female Undergraduates in Taiwan

Validation of the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire: an online version

“…Changes in Asia, such as resulting from the import of both Western fashion and beauty ideals, the rapid expansion of fast food restaurants, an increased consumption of high fat foods and decreased physical activity (Lee and Lee, ; Xie et al ., ), have contributed to body image concern in young individuals and an increased risk for developing weight and eating disorders (Lee et al ., ; Lee and Lee, ; Huon et al ., ). Among the young, studies have identified that university students are a high‐risk population for eating disorder symptomatology (Yeh et al ., ; Thomas et al ., ; Quick & Byrd‐Bredbenner, ). The risk can be related to an increased demand for academic achievement, high stress and anxiety, dating relationships, peer influence, struggle with self‐concept, and role and identity changes (Hesse‐Biber & Marino, ; Nichols et al ., ).…”

Eating psychopathology and psychosocial impairment in patients treated at a Singapore eating disorders treatment programme

“…(2) Such trends toward thinness or features of AN were once associated with high socioeconomic status among young female North European Caucasians. (3) The disorder and its associated behaviours and cognitions were once thought to be rare outside of Western countries, but appear to have now become more prevalent in various Asian countries, such as Taiwan, (4) Hong Kong (5) and Japan. (6) Similarly, the number of individuals in Singapore diagnosed with eating disorders has been on the rise over the years (7)(8)(9) -from six new presentations in 1994 to 24 in 2002; (7) a decade later in 2012, the numbers have increased to 163 newly diagnosed individuals (9) at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH), Singapore.…”

Revisiting ‘Asia’: exploring the utility and limitations of the concept of ‘Asia’ in relation to discourse on eating disorders

“…Two key exceptions in Asia included Japan, where eating disorders began emerging in the late1970s (Pike & Borovoy, 2004), and Hong Kong, where case reports of eating disordered patients were documented in the 1980s (Lee, 1993;Steiger, 1995). Since 1990, however, reports of eating disorders in other Asian countries, including Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, China, Fiji, Malaysia, and India, have steadily increased (Chandra et al, 1995;Gordon, 2001;Hoek & van Hoeken, 2003;Lee, 1998Lee, , 2004Ong, Tsoi, & Cheah, 1982;Tsai, 2000;Ung, 2003) Consistent with trends in the West, the prevalence of eating disorders rose sharply in Japan before levelling off in recent years (Pike & Borovoy, 2004;Yasuhara et al, 2002), and rates of eating disorders are believed to have increased in several other countries such as Singapore (Ung, Lee, & Kua, 1997), Korea (Jackson, Keel, & Lee, 2006), China (Chen & Jackson, 2008), and Taiwan (Tsai, Chang, Lien, & Wong, 2011;Yeh et al, 2009). Notably, more recent data suggest that eating disorder rates in Japan are now on par with those in the West (Pike, Yamamiya, & Konishi, 2011), while in other countries in which the prevalence is still thought to be lower than in the West, reports of antecedent factors such as body dissatisfaction and dieting/weight-control behaviours continue to climb (Jung & Forbes, 2007;Jung, Forbes, & Lee, 2009;Tsai, Curbow, & Heinberg, 2003;Xu et al, 2010).…”