An empirical examination of the mislabelling of fat as an emotion in sub-clinical eating disorder groups

Abstract

Zhang et al.: An empirical examination of the mislabelling of fat as an emotion in sub-clinical eating disorder groups.

The rationality of eating disorders

“…One likely reason is the clinical consensus that reports of feeling fat are misdescriptions: “[F]eeling fat is a result of mislabeling certain emotions and bodily experiences … These typically are negative mood states (e.g., feeling bored or depressed) or physical sensations that heighten body awareness (e.g., feeling full, bloated or sweaty)” (Ibid.). According to clinicians, when their clients report feeling fat, they are misdescribing entirely distinct bodily experiences or emotions (McFarlane et al, 2011; Mehak & Racine, 2020; Zhang et al, 2014).…”