Correlates of bulimia nervosa: early family mealtime experiences.

The relationship of early mealtime experiences to later bulimia was investigated in a sample of 128 female college students. Significant group differences were found between bulimics, nonbulimics, and repeat dieters on an early meal experience questionnaire, with the bulimic group reporting the most negative and unusual experiences. Significant differences were also found between groups on depression but not on family adaptability or cohesion. These findings suggest that bulimic, repeat dieter, and nonbulimic females have differentiating histories regarding eating-related issues in the family context.