Gender differences in risk factors for Stice’s bulimia in a non-clinical sample

Abstract

Some females are at an increased risk of developing bulimia. However, etiological factors and their interplay remain controversial. The present study analyzed Stice’s Model for eating disorders in a non-clinical population by examining gender differences with respect to the following risk factors: body mass index (BMI), body dissatisfaction, perceived social pressure to be thin, body-thin internalization, and dieting behavior. A sample of 162 American college students (64 males and 91 females) was surveyed, and validated scales were used. The Stice’s model was tested using Structural Equation Modeling. Our results supported Stice’s Dual Pathway Model of bulimic pathology for females but not for males. The results of this study fail to support the role of BMI as a predictor of dietary restraint in females, the main risk factor of eating disorders. Males may abstain from dietary restraint to gain muscular volume and in turn increase their BMI. Implications are discussed.