Examining vegetarianism, weight motivations, and eating disorder psychopathology among college students.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Previous research has suggested a link between vegetarianism, broadly defined, and symptoms of eating disorders (ED). However, the literature supporting this link is mixed and limited by possible measurement artifacts. Using data from a national sample of college students, the present study examines ED symptomatology among three groups: (a) vegetarians whose meat avoidance is motivated by weight concerns; (b) non-weight motivated vegetarians; and (c) nonvegetarians.

Method

Participants include 9,910 students from 12 colleges and universities across the United States who participated in the web-based Healthy Bodies Study. ED symptomatology was measured using the Short-Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (S-EDE-Q). First, multi-group confirmatory factor analysi

SUBMITTER: Zickgraf HF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7745711 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature