Research Article

EDI results of Japanese and German women and possible sociocultural explanations

  1. Mihoko Kusano-Schwarz1,2,
  2. Jörn von Wietersheim3,*

Article first published online: 17 NOV 2005

DOI: 10.1002/erv.590

Issue

European Eating Disorders Review

European Eating Disorders Review

Volume 13, Issue 6, pages 411–416, November/December 2005

Additional Information

How to Cite

Kusano-Schwarz, M. and Wietersheim, J. v. (2005), EDI results of Japanese and German women and possible sociocultural explanations. European Eating Disorders Review, 13: 411–416. doi: 10.1002/erv.590

Author Information

  1. 1

    Kanto Medical Center NTT EC Department of Neuropsychiatry

  2. 2

    Department of Psychopathology and Psychotherapy, Graduate School of the Faculty of Medicine, Nagoya University

  3. 3

    Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Germany

*Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Am Hochstraess 8, 89081 Ulm, Germany.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 17 NOV 2005
  2. Article first published online: 17 NOV 2005

Funded by

  • German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
  • Mental Health Okamoto Foundation

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

Get PDF (77K)

Keywords:

  • eating behaviour;
  • eating disorders;
  • bulimia nervosa;
  • cross-cultural comparison;
  • female roles

Abstract

The goal of this study was to compare data for women with bulimia nervosa and for a healthy control group both in Japan and Germany. These data were obtained using the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI-2). In Germany, EDI-2 data and BMI values were collected from 102 nurses in training, 57 female medical students, and 29 patients with bulimia nervosa. In Japan, data were gathered from 243 female ‘short college’ students and 20 patients with bulimia nervosa. The Japanese non-clinical control group showed significantly higher values on nearly all EDI scales than the German control group. They had a markedly higher drive for thinness, though their BMI values were lower. When the German and the Japanese bulimia nervosa patients were compared, the Japanese patients also showed higher values than their German counterparts on three EDI scales, but these differences were negligible. It is suggested that sociocultural factors in Japan, in particular a significant dependency on social norms, may contribute to the high EDI values. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Get PDF (77K)