Eating-disordered behavior among male and female college students in Iran

Objective: Few studies of eating-disorder behaviors (EDBs) in Iran have been conducted and no study has examined the occurrence of these behaviors (EDBs) among young Iranian men. This cross-sectional study examined the occurrence of EDBs, as assessed by the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q), among young men and women in Iran.

Method: Male (n = 253) and female (n = 384) college students completed the EDE-Q. Mean scores on the EDE-Q subscales and the occurrence and regular occurrence of EDBs, namely, binge eating, self-induced vomiting, laxative misuse, extreme dietary restriction and excessive exercise, were compared between male and female participants.

Results: Female students had higher scores on the EDE-Q Shape Concern subscale than males, whereas scores on the other subscales did not differ by gender. Male students were more likely to report self-induced vomiting (any occurrence: 10.4% vs. 3.2%) and excessive exercise (28.0% vs. 20.0%) than female students. The occurrence of other EDBs did not differ by gender and binge eating was the most common EDB in both men (regular occurrence = 24.7%) and women (27.5%).

Conclusion: The findings suggest that EDBs are relatively common among college students in Iran and that most EDBs are equally common among male and female students. Prevention and health promotion programs designed to reduce the occurrence and adverse impact of EDBs may be increasingly important in Iran.