Seasonality of eating pathology on the eating attitudes test in a nonclinical population.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there are seasonal fluctuations in eating pathology in a nonclinical population. METHOD: The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) was completed by 322 subjects during winter and again during summer. Summer and winter responses were compared to investigate differences in EAT total and subscale scores and for individual EAT items. Numbers of subjects fluctuating across the seasons by more than 2 SDs of the cohort's scores were identified. RESULTS: The cohort showed no significant seasonal change on EAT-40 totals, EAT-26 totals, or within the EAT subscales. There were significant (p <.025) seasonal fluctuations on four of the EAT-40 questions. For individual respondents, there was no greater likelihood of scoring significantly higher in the winter than in the summer. DISCUSSION: Clinically significant seasonal fluctuations in eating pathology on the EAT did not occur in this nonclinical population. It is debatable whether items within the EAT which show significant seasonal fluctuations should be retained or discarded.