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Ethnicity and Eating Disorders: More Similarities than Differences

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Encyclopedia of Feeding and Eating Disorders

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Synonyms

Background; Identity; Nationality; Origin

Definitions

The United States is comprised of a racially and ethnically diverse population. Ethnicity is defined as identity with or membership in a particular racial, national, or cultural group and observance of that group’s customs and beliefs. An ethnic group is a social group that shares a common culture, religion, language, traditions, and background. Many minority groups in the United States maintain strong ethnic identity. The United States Census Bureau officially recognizes six ethnic and racial categories: White American, Black or African American, Native American and Alaska Native, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and people of two or more races. The Census Bureau also classifies Americans as “Hispanic or Latino” and “Not Hispanic or Latino,” which identifies Hispanic and Latino Americans as a racially diverse ethnicity that composes the largest minority group in the nation.

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References and Further Reading

  • Becker, A. E., Franko, D. L., Speck, A., & Herzog, D. B. (2003). Ethnicity and differential access to care for eating disorder symptoms. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 33, 205–212.

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  • Franko, D. L., Thompson-Brenner, H., Thompson, D. R., Boisseau, C. L., Davis, A., Forbush, K. T., Roehrig, J. P., Bryson, S. W., Bulik, C. M., Crow, S. J., Devlin, M. J., Gorin, A. A., Grilo, C. M., Kristeller, J. L., Masheb, R. M., Mitchell, J. E., Peterson, C. B., Safer, D. L., Striegel-Moore, R. H., Wilfley, D. E., & Wilson, G. T. (2012). Racial/ethnic differences in adults in randomized clinical trials of binge eating disorder. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 80, 186–195.

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  • Grabe, S., & Hyde, J. S. (2006). Ethnicity and body dissatisfaction among women in the United States: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 132, 622–640.

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  • Kroon Van Dies, A. M., Tartakovsky, M., Stachon, C., Pettit, J. W., & Perez, M. (2014). The relationship between acculturative stress and eating disorder symptoms: Is it unique from general life stress? Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 37, 445–457.

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  • Taylor, J. Y., Caldwell, C. H., Baser, R. E., Matusko, N., Faison, N., & Jackson, J. (2013). Classification and correlates of eating disorders among Blacks: Findings from the National Survey of American Life. Journal of Healthcare for the Poor and Underserved, 24, 289–310.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Psychology, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115-5000, USA

    Debra L. Franko & Rachel F. Rodgers

  2. Laboratoire de Stress Traumatique, Universite Paul Sabatier, EA 4560, Toulouse, France

    Rachel F. Rodgers

Authors
  1. Debra L. Franko
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  2. Rachel F. Rodgers
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Debra L. Franko .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    Tracey Wade

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© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore

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Franko, D.L., Rodgers, R.F. (2015). Ethnicity and Eating Disorders: More Similarities than Differences. In: Wade, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Feeding and Eating Disorders. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-087-2_52-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-087-2_52-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-287-087-2

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