Prevalence of bulimic behaviors and trends in eating attitudes among Turkish late adolescents.

The eating attitudes and the prevalence of bulimic behaviors in a group of 300 late adolescents were investigated using the key questions from the Bulimia Investigatory Test, Edinburgh (BITE), and additional questions. Only four subjects (1.3%) scored above the cut-off point on the BITE, and prevalence rates of males and females were the same. Results showed that higher symptom scale scores were associated with the emergence of binge eating behavior and high energy intake. Females were less likely than males to see themselves as normal eaters and more likely to feel "miserable" when they binge. Higher score groups evidenced more dieting behavior than other groups and also more abnormal eating behavior. It was concluded that the prevalence of bulimic behaviors in Turkish late adolescents was low, but there was an increasing risk since they share Western ideals of slimness and engage in dieting.