There have been a few studies on epidemiology and related factors for eating disorders (ED), although they are frequently encountered in clinical practice in P. R. China. We conducted an investigation to draw the prevalence of eating disorders and its correlated factors in the Chinese female youths.

1378 female subjects were random sampling from 8 high schools and 6 universities in the 5 urban areas in Chengdu City of China. Eating Disorder Inventory-1 (EDI-1), BMI-based Silhouette Matching Test (BMI-SMT), Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and a social-demographic questionnaire were applied to assess the subjects.

Of 1378 subjects, 61 subjects (eating disorders group, EDG) were scaled 14 or more than 14 for the Drive for Thinness subscale of EDI, in whom three-quarter subjects were estimated to be suffered from ED according to EDI manual. Therefore, the estimated prevalence rate of ED was 3.32% in the female youths. The EDG showed higher score in the body dissatisfaction of the BMI-SMT than the none-eating disorders group (N-EDG). The EDR scored higher on the SDS and the BAI than N-EDG (33.92±7.921/29.09±7.666, t=4.797, P=0.000; 31.82±9.991/29.31±7.205, t=2.603, P=0.009, respectively). We performed the logistic regression analysis to explore the related factors with ED which included concerning about the idol at media, non-harmonious parents relationships and being abused in childhood.

The prevalence of eating disorders in Chinese female youths is similar to that in west countries and more attention should be paid to them for their mental health.