Using machine learning to explore core risk factors associated with the risk of eating disorders among non-clinical young women in China: A decision-tree classification analysis

Previous studies have identified multiple risk factors of eating disorders that are related to emotion regulation and coping strategies in the Western context. However, most of these studies failed to describe any kind of hierarchy or interaction between risk factors that co-occur. To address this knowledge gap, the present study investigated a broad range of risk factors from the perspective of emotion regulation and then used a decision tree classification method to screen for EDs among young women in China. Results showed that body image inflexibility, psychological distress, and body dissatisfaction were the primary classifiers for Chinese women at high risk of EDs.