Longitudinal Stability of Disordered-Eating Symptoms From Age 12 to 40 in Black and White Women.

TitleLongitudinal Stability of Disordered-Eating Symptoms From Age 12 to 40 in Black and White Women.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2023
AuthorsParker, JE, Levinson, JA, Hunger, JM, Enders, CK, Laraia, BA, Epel, ES, A Tomiyama, J
JournalClin Psychol Sci
Volume11
Issue5
Pagination879-893
Date Published2023 Sep
ISSN2167-7026
Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to test the longitudinal association between disordered eating symptoms (body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness and bulimia) in adolescence (ages 12, 14, 16, 18, 19) and adulthood (age 40) in a sample of 883 white and Black women. We also investigated moderation by race. Adolescent symptoms at each time point significantly predicted adulthood symptoms for the body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness subscales, for both Black and white women. Bulimia symptoms in adolescence predicted symptoms in adulthood; however, the effect was largely driven by white women. Although moderation was non-significant, among white women, bulimia symptoms at all adolescent time points predicted adulthood bulimia, but among Black women, only symptoms at ages 18 and 19 were predictive of adulthood bulimia. Results suggest that both Black and white women are susceptible to disordered eating and that symptoms emerging in adolescence can potentially follow women into midlife.

DOI10.1177/21677026221144253
Alternate JournalClin Psychol Sci
PubMed ID37694231
PubMed Central IDPMC10488908
Grant ListR01 DK128575 / DK / NIDDK NIH HHS / United States
R01 HD073568 / HD / NICHD NIH HHS / United States