Prevalence and contributing factors of eating disorder behaviors in a population of female navy nurses

Abstract

Eating disorders continue to be reported at a steady rate among lay women. The disorders of anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and eating disorders not otherwise specified (NOS) have only been reported in a military population in isolated case reports. The military lifestyle and the nursing profession mimic the environment that appears to prevail among women with eating disorders who have been previously studied in civilian populations. A total of 706 active duty female Navy nurses returned an anonymous mailed survey that was developed to correlate military and professional demographics and variables with current and past eating disorder behaviors. Responses were analyzed using the criteria established by the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Third Edition, Revised; for AN, BN, and NOS eating disorders. Nurses who fit the criteria for AN were 1.1%, and 12.5% met the criteria for BN. NOS was seen in 36% of those sampled, and those classified as normal by exclusion were 50.4%. The Navy provides an environment in which eating disorder behaviors thrive and survive due to many reported military and professional factors.