Identifying high-school dance students who will develop an eating disorder: A 1-year prospective study

This study examined the changes in eating disorder (ED) status over 1 year and identified risk factors for EDs among female dance students. In 2003, all students enrolled in each of the nation's 12 high schools with gifted dance programs participated in a two-phase survey. The same participants were invited to take part in a follow-up survey 1 year later. In all, 583 persons completed the phase 1 questionnaire survey, and 245 persons completed interviews twice at baseline and follow-up. Thirty-five females had a newly developed ED, and less than half of the ED cases found at baseline had recovered at follow-up. Being a grade 12 student carried a reduced risk of EDs, whereas higher baseline scores on the Bulimic Investigatory Test Edinburgh (BITE) increased risks of developing an ED after 1 year. A 10-item BITE questionnaire validly identified girl dance students who would develop EDs later in high school. EDs were more commonly developed during middle adolescence, and we suggest that prevention work against EDs begin in this period among the dance student population. The brief screening questionnaire might help detect intervention targets of a prevention program among adolescent dance students.