Objective-This study investigated the prevalence of eating disorder symptoms in first-year students at the University of Puerto Rico.Method-Responses to the Bulimia Test Revised (BULIT-R), the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were analyzed in a sample of 2,163 freshman students.Results-The percentage of students at or above the clinical cut-off points was 3.24% for the BULIT-R, 9.59% for the EAT-26 and 1.88% met the cut-off point for both instruments. The 36.44% of the students who screen positive on eating disorders measures scored 18 or more on the BDI and 5.93% on this group presented high suicidal risk based on their responses to BDI items assessing suicidal thoughts.Discussion-Eating disorder symptoms occur frequently in Puerto Rican college students, and prevention, detection, and treatment efforts are needed.
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