Gender bias, other specified and unspecified feeding and eating disorders, and college students: a vignette study

Eat Disord. 2019 May-Jun;27(3):291-304. doi: 10.1080/10640266.2018.1504536. Epub 2018 Aug 6.

Abstract

This vignette study examined perceptions of 237 male and female undergraduate students regarding two severity levels (low and high) of other specified (OSFED) and unspecified feeding and eating disorders (UFED) in their male and female peers. Multilevel modeling showed that female characters received stronger endorsements of eating pathology than male characters for similar symptom presentations. College men were more likely than college women to rate female characters as having eating disorders. Gender bias about eating disorders affected men and women differently in this study. Implications for gender-inclusive as well as gender-sensitive eating disorder outreach and prevention are discussed.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Feeding and Eating Disorders / psychology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Sexism*
  • Social Stigma
  • Students / psychology*
  • Universities
  • Young Adult