Prevalence of Eating Disorder Risk Among Medical Students in a United States Medical School

Objectives: Eating disorders are among the most severe psychiatric illnesses, often conferring increased mortality compared to other psychiatric disorders. The high-stress environment of medical school makes students more vulnerable to experiencing symptoms of various psychiatric conditions, including eating disorders. Few studies have included eating disorder risk in assessing medical student wellness, and few have measured the prevalence of eating disorder risk in United States medical schools. This study aims to identify the prevalence of eating disorder risk among medical students at Oakland University William Beaumont (OUWB) School of Medicine. Methods: In September 2023, all 500 medical students enrolled at OUWB received anonymous, voluntary online surveys. These included a demographic questionnaire, two validated tools to assess eating disorder risk including the EAT-26 and SCOFF, and 14 supplemental questions written by the authors. Supplemental questions were written to assess current mental healthcare seeking and treatment, and factors potentially related to increased eating disorder risk in respondents. Results: In total, 85 students completed part of the survey and 69 students completed the entire survey, for a response rate of 14%. An average of 20.1% respondents were found to be at high risk for an eating disorder (EAT-26: 14.5%, SCOFF: 25.6%). Based on the EAT-26 and SCOFF, those at risk were most likely to be female (100% and 82.6%, respectively). There was an equal distribution of risk across class rank. Of those at high risk for an eating disorder, over 70% reported not receiving mental health treatment of any kind. Conclusions: Medical students are an at-risk population for the development of eating disorders. Eating behaviors should be included in discussions related to wellness and burnout in healthcare. It is suggested that medical schools integrate improved curricula related to eating disorders and enhance the infrastructure of their programs to facilitate students' access to and engagement with mental healthcare services.