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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Carrie Murray, MS, Department of Public and Community Health, University of Maryland, College Park, 1241 HHP Bldg., Valley Drive, College Park, MD 20742, 301-405-2084, carriem25@aol.com, Evelyn L. Lewis, MD, MA, CAPT, Department of Family Medicine, USHUS, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814-4799, Nancy L. Atkinson, PhD, Public Health Informatics Research Laboratory, University of Maryland, Department of Public and Community Health, Suite 2387 Valley Drive, College Park, MD 20742, Robert Stanley Gold, PhD, DrPH, Dept of Public and Community Health, University of Maryland, HHP Building Room 2387, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742-2611, and Tracy Sbrocco, PhD, Department Medical and Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814-4799.
Eating disorders remain an important public health issue, but most existing research focuses on adolescent and college females. The challenging lifestyle of the military means that personnel must maintain required weight and fitness standards. This study examines data from a survey conducted by the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) on the prevalence of disordered eating and eating disorder risk among military personnel. A sample of military men and women (n=4346) completed a self-report measure of eating and exercise behaviors, as well as attitudes toward dieting and weight and fitness standards. We will report the prevalence of disordered eating as defined by the EDI among military personnel and provide comparisons to norms for civilian men and women. Because weight standards are often used to determine career advancement, we will examine the patterns of behavior before and after weigh-ins among military personnel in different branches of service. We will present discriminant analysis results that examine the relationship among demographic and risk behaviors and determine how well these variables serve to classify participants at risk of developing an eating disorder. We will then use these data to make recommendations on how to modify existing programs or develop interventions and policies that reduce unhealthy eating and weight management behaviors, which will ultimately reduce the risk of eating disorders in this population.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the presentation, the participants in the session will be able to
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.