Binge Eating Behavior in University Students

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of binge eating behavior and identify relationships between binge eating behavior and psychological variables in Korean university students. Data from the Bulimia Test Revised, general demographic characteristics, and measures of psychological variables such as depression and stress were collected using convenient sampling. Data from two hundred and fifty-seven participants were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation analysis. The analyses showed that none of the participants met the criterion for binge eating behavior and the prevalence of the tendency for binge eating was 8%. There were significant relationships found between stress, depression, and binge eating behavior. These findings suggest that we need to develop nursing programs that deal with stress and depression.