The prevalence of bulimia in a black college population

Abstract

This study compared the prevalence of bulimia and the attitudes toward food and weight in a Black college population with the results obtained from a similar study of Caucasian college students (Gray & Ford, 1985). A 34-item questionnaire containing an operationalized version of the DSM-III criteria for bulimia (American Psychiatric Association, 1980) and demographic information was completed by 507 (341 women, 166 men) Black college students. Results showed there were significantly fewer Black women than Caucasian women who met the DSM-III and bulimia nervosa critria for bulimia. In addition, Black college women were found to be less likely to experience a sense of fear and discouragement concerning food and weight control than Caucasian women. The prevalence of bulimia was very low to nonexistent in both the Black and Caucasian male samples. These findings were discussed in regard to differential attitudes toward weight and beauty among the two ethnic groups.