Role of Sex in Factor Structure of disordered eating attitudes among university students sample

Aim and Despite the acceptance of gender differences in prevalence and symptomology of eating disorders, there are few studies that have compared the factor structure of eating disorders between male/female groups. The purpose of this study was to determine the factor structure of disordered eating attitudes in a sample of male and female college students.Methods and Materials: The current study was conducted in correlational context. A group of 1008 normal participants, using stratified random sampling method, took part in this research. Participants answered to the Eating Attitude Test (EAT). Data were analyzed using explanatory factor analysis of variance and independent samples t test methods. The three Dieting, Bulimia and Food Preoccupation, & Oral control factors of disordered eating attitudes explained same percent of variance among both male and female groups (35.95 & 34.63 respectively). There is more internal constancy between all factors among women. Women have higher mean scores on the eating attitudes test ((t= 2.02 p<0.001)) With regard to the results, this study suggests a similar factor structure of disordered eating attitudes for males and females.