Abstract
Objective and Method
We used the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDEโQ) to compare the specific eating disorder psychopathology of young adult women in Australia (n = 339) and Singapore (n = 164). All participants completed a brief questionnaire that included the EDEโQ, basic socioโdemographic information, and selfโreported height and weight.
Results
Overall levels of eating disorder psychopathology, as measured by the EDEโQ global score, were very similar. There were also no differences between groups on the EDEโQ subscales. However, analysis at the item level indicated that Singaporean women were more fearful of losing control over their eating, more fearful of gaining weight or becoming fat, and more anxious at the prospect of regularly weighing themselves, than Australian women. Singaporean women were also more likely to report binge eating and laxative misuse, whereas excessive exercise was more common among Australian women. The findings were unaltered when betweenโgroup differences in body weight were statistically controlled.
Discussion
The findings provide further evidence that levels of eating disorder psychopathology in some Asian countries may be as high as, if not higher than, those of Western nations. Potentially important differences between different cultural groups may be obscured when the assessment of eating disorder psychopathology is confined to summaryโtype measures. ยฉ 2009 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2010; 43:717โ723