Introduction

Disordered eating represents a pressing public health challenge with significant psychological, physical, and social consequences. Although the prevalence of disordered eating has been documented extensively in Western populations, research from Asian societies has been comparatively limited. Yet, cultural conceptions of body image, ideals of thinness, and dietary practices vary considerably across societies, and these differences may influence both the manifestation of disordered eating and the utility of commonly used screening measures. As a result, instruments validated in Western contexts cannot be assumed to function equivalently in non-Western populations.

Screening for disordered eating in Chinese-speaking communities is particularly important, given shifting cultural attitudes toward diet and body shape, alongside increasing exposure to globalized beauty standards. University students represent a group at heightened risk, as they navigate developmental transitions, academic pressure, and shifting social environments that may amplify vulnerabilities to body dissatisfaction and maladaptive eating behaviors. Reliable and culturally appropriate tools are therefore essential to ensure early identification and timely intervention in these populations.

The Screen for Disordered Eating (SDE) is a brief self-report measure designed to capture core features of problematic eating attitudes and behaviors. While evidence supports its reliability and validity in Western populations, little is known about its performance in Chinese contexts. Establishing its psychometric properties, including reliability, validity, and associations with psychological correlates, is critical to understanding its applicability in different cultural settings. Furthermore, examining how disordered eating relates to demographic and psychosocial factors—such as sex, depression, anxiety, and childhood adversity—can provide valuable insights into the multifaceted origins of these behaviors in Chinese populations.

This study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the SDE among university students in Taiwan. By testing its reliability, validity, and correlates, this research addresses an important gap in the literature and contributes to the development of culturally informed screening practices. Findings from this study may help inform clinical practice, facilitate early detection, and guide targeted prevention efforts for disordered eating in Chinese-speaking communities.