Ethnic and gender differences in eating attitudes among black and white college students

This study examines ethnic and gender differences in eating attitudes and behaviors among college students. Participants were 225 Black and 199 White students sampled from a historically Black university. White participants were more dissatisfied with their bodies, engaged in more self-loathing, and dieted more than Blacks. Similarly, women were more dissatisfied with their bodies, engaged in more self-loathing, dieted more, and showed a greater drive for thinness than men. White women and Blacks of either gender exhibited similar predictors of drive for thinness with each group showing some combination of dieting and self-loathing. Intrapersonal anger predicted drive for thinness in White men, adding to a growing body of research suggesting a link between anger and eating disorders. Results support a substantial body of literature showing that Black and White college students differ on their views of body image and eating. Future research should explore the role of anger as a risk factor for eating disorders among White men.