Epidemiology and risk factors of eating disorders: A two‐stage epidemiologic study in a Spanish population aged 12–18 years

Abstract

Objective The authors studied the prevalence rates of eating disorders (ED) and their risk factors in a Spanish population aged 12–18 years. Method A two‐stage epidemiologic study was conducted in the province of Valencia. Educational centers, classrooms, and individuals were selected randomly. The initial sample comprised 544 subjects. During Stage 1, subjects were screened with the 40‐item Eating Attitude Test and a sociodemographic questionnaire that evaluates risk factors. During Stage 2, a semistandardized clinical interview was conducted with each participant. A random control group was paired by class, age, and sex. Comorbid psychiatric disorders and partial and subclinical forms were detected using criteria in the 4th ed. of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM‐IV). Results Using DSM‐IV criteria, the morbidity rate was 2.91%, women comprised 5.17% of the sample, men comprised 0.77% of the sample, and the sex ratio was 6.71. Using DSM‐IV criteria, including subclinical forms, the morbidity rate was 5.56%, women comprised 10.3% of the sample, men comprised 1.07% of the sample, and the sex ratio was 9.63. Six risk factors were isolated: psychiatric comorbidity, friend on a diet in the last year, desire to lose weight, desire to be less corpulent, sentimental problems, and diet in the last year. Discussion This is the first Spanish two‐stage epidemiologic study to include a control group and to investigate risk factors. © 2003 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 34: 281–291, 2003.