Although various familial factors have been thought to influence the development and outcome of bulimia nervosa, no cross-cultural studies have examined familial factors in this disorder. To provide more data in this area, we compared 33 female college students with bulimia nervosa in Innsbruck (Austria), and 33 female college students with bulimia nervosa in Boston (USA), on several aspects of family background. These indices includes weight history and diet behavior of family members; psychiatric disorders among family members; intrafamilial relationships; types of and attitudes toward upbringing; sexual attitudes among family members; and experiences of physical and sexual abuse during childhood. We found few significant differences between the two groups on these indices. However, American bulimic women reported their family members to be more overweight, significantly more likely to be on a diet, and more likely to display a lifetime diagnosis of major depression than the family members of Austrian bulimic women. The findings of this study add to the literature and family background in bulimia nervosa, and suggest several avenues for future research for crosscultural studies in this area.