Sex differences and eating disorder risk among psychiatric conditions,compulsive behaviors and substance use in a screened Canadian national sample

Objective

This study examined sex differences and eating disorder risk among psychiatric conditions, compulsive behaviors (i.e., gambling, suicide thoughts and attempts) and substance use in a nationally representative sample.

Method

Data from participants of the Canadian Community Health Survey Cycle 1.2 who completed the Eating Attitudes Test (n= 5116) were analyzed. Sex differences were compared among psychiatric comorbidities according to eating disorder risk, binging, vomiting and dieting behavior. Poisson regression analysis provided prevalence ratios (PRs) of disordered eating adjusting for age, marital status, income, body mass index and recent distress.

Results

Pronounced sex differences were associated with eating disorder risk (PRs 4.89–11.04; all P values < .0001). Findings of particular interest included significantly higher PRs for eating disorder risk in males associated with gambling (PR 5.07, P< .0001) and for females associated with steroid and inhalant use as well as suicide thoughts and attempts (PRs 5.40–5.48, all P values < .0001).

Discussion

The findings from this detailed exploration of sex differences and eating disorder risk among psychiatric conditions, compulsive behaviors and substance use suggest that problem gambling, the use of inhalants and steroids and suicidal ideation in relationship to eating disorder risk warrant further investigation.