The Eating Disorders Project 2002: Phase One

Overview

Objectives/Goals The purpose of my project is to explore the impact of variables such as race, gender, or school environment on the rate of occurrence of eating disorders among adolescents in the United States. Methods/Materials To acquire this information I asked over 2700 guidance counselors to distribute surveys in their respective high schools. I received a 7.5 % response rate, about 10,000 surveys. I had help from family and friends in both coding the answers into numerical values for the statistical analysis program and for data entry. To ensure consistency, each person was given instructions and a "code book" containing my procedures, and examples. Phase One, which included designing a database for the information and training my family and friends to code and enter data, was completed in February, 2003, with a total of 2300 surveys. Phase Two, to be completed in November, 2003, will include the rest of the 10,000 surveys. Results Several trends emerged from Phase One data. A generally accepted statistic is that 10% of those affected by eating disorders are male. I my study, I found 13% of those with eating disorders to be male, indicating a possible rise in eating disorders within that population. In addition, an alarming 2% of males and 10% of females surveyed had or had had an eating disorder. My findings included that early onset of puberty doubled the chance of the participant's having an eating disorder, that people with a family history of eating disorders do have a higher rate of occurrence, and that the Body Mass Index (a ratio of height to weight) of those with eating disorders were less than a pound's difference from those without eating disorders (indicating that those with eating disorders are often not underweight, a common misconception). Conclusions/Discussion The data from my project gives new evidence to support several current theories, disproves stereotypes that prevent those suffering from an eating disorder from seeking help, and provides a uniquely large and varied database of information on eating disorders.

Awards (1)

• Category Award

Competition history

• CSEF 2003 Behavioral Sciences · Entry S0319

Resources

• CSEF project summary ↗

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