Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q): norms for US college students

Purpose To present normative data for the Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire, 6th edition (EDE-Q) from a large (n = 2,448), diverse (56 % White) sample of college students. Methods Participants completed the EDE-Q online. Mean scores and percentile ranks for global and subscale (restraint and eating, weight, and shape concerns) scores and binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behavior (dietary restraint, self-induced vomiting, medicine misuse, excessive exercise) frequencies were computed. Results Women had higher global and subscale scores and tended to engage in inappropriate compensatory behaviors more often than men. Women with clinically significant restraint, and eating, shape, and weight concerns scores equaled 5.4, 2.0, 18.6, and 13.0 %, respectively, and, for men, equaled 3.0, 0.3, 6.0, and 2.0 %. Compared with less diverse samples, women in this study had significantly higher shape concern and lower restraint and eating concern scores and men had lower shape and weight concern scores. Conclusions Normative data from this diverse sample can help healthcare professionals and researchers better interpret EDE-Q scores.