A recent study done by Brigham Young University revealed that BYU co-eds have a lower chance of developing an eating disorder than the national average. Studies show that academically accomplished, religious, Caucasian women are strong risk factors in developing eating disorders. Many females who study at BYU fit this high-risk profile, causing the results of the BYU’s study to be unexpected. The study showed the BYU co-eds have “significantly lower risk levels for developing an eating disorder than traditional college-age women at other universities.”
Primary author of the study, Lane Fischer—BYU Counseling Psychology and Special Education Associate Professor—stated:
“Frankly, we were really surprised when we saw the results. . .This research shows that BYU is neither a breeding ground nor a hotbed for developing eating disorders.”
Fischer thinks that BYU’s environment could possibly be a factor in the lower possibility of developing on eating disorder. Leaving one’s family causes many college freshmen to develop an eating disorder, but at BYU students are given a strong support system through their church congregation, campus resources, and even Family Home Evening groups.
Read the full article on news.byu.edu.
