Eating disorder symptoms in Asian American college students.

Abstract Inconsistent information on levels of eating pathology in Asian Americans exist. We investigated whether there were differences in mean scores for eating disorder (ED) symptoms among Whites, Asian Americans, and individuals identifying as another race (i.e., non-Asian people of color [NAPOC]). Participants included 716 college students (M age=19.23; SD=1.65) from a southeastern university. ED symptoms were assessed with the Eating Pathology Symptom Inventory (EPSI). Internalizing symptoms were evaluated via the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS). One-way ANOVAs investigated mean differences in symptoms between racial groups, with and without adjusting for sex, BMI, and internalizing symptoms. Overall, 16% (n=114) of the sample identified as Asian American, 67% (n=477) as White, and 17% (n=125) as NAPOC. After correcting for multiple testing and adjusting for covariates, Asian Americans reported higher mean scores of purging, muscle building, and cognitive restraint (qs