Identifying Risk Factors for Disordered Eating among Female Youth in Primary Care

Eating disorders are a serious, life-threating condition impacting adolescents and young adults. Providers in primary care settings have an important role in identifying disordered eating (DE) symptoms. Unfortunately, symptoms go undetected in 50% of patients in medical settings. Using the behavioral health screen, this study identified DE risk profiles in a sample of 3620 female adolescents and young adults (ages 14–24), presenting in primary care. A latent class analysis with twenty psychosocial factors identified three DE risk groups. The group at highest risk for DE was characterized by endorsement of internalizing symptoms and a history of trauma. The next risk group consisted of those with externalizing symptoms, particularly substance use. The group at lowest risk for DE reported more time spent with friends compared to their peers. Primary care providers and psychiatric teams can benefit from knowing the psychosocial risk patterns affiliated with DE, and using brief, comprehensive screening tools to identify these symptoms.