Body size distortion in bulimia nervosa

138

We have reviewed 19 “body image” studies on anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa published recently. In general, eating disorder patients overestimate their body width more often than do normal controls and are usually more disparaging toward their body. However, we contend that it is unnecessary and unwarranted to envoke the term “body image disturbance” to explain these research findings. We suggest that further research in the area of “body disparagement” or the characteristic attitude of “weight phobia,” “fear of fatness,” or “pursuit of thinness” may be yet fruitful without this problematic concept. Theories are not true or false, they are fertile or sterile. —Claude Bernard. When I use a word, Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, It means just what I choose it to mean. —Lewis Carroll.

Section: Do Bulimics Overestimate More Than Controls?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Body image disturbance: Time to abandon the concept for eating disorders?

Hsu

Sobkiewicz

1991

138

“…Perhaps not surprisingly, the resulting findings have been mixed. Whereas some studies have indicated that bulimics show distinctive patterns of body image distortion or dissatisfaction (e.g., Freeman, Thomas, Solyom, & Koopman, 1985;Willmuth et al, 1985), others (e.g., Birtchnell et al, 1985;Huon & Brown, 1986) have not. Cooper and Taylor (in press) have argued that studies of body image estimation that have not included a control population are uninterpretable because subjects' responses are easily influenced by specific procedures in the testing situation (e.g., the degree of image distortion possible, size of TV screen, and experimental instructions).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Not one of the eight studies of Cooper and Taylor's (in press) analysis selected restrained eaters as normal controls. Indeed, Willmuth et al (1985) selectively screened-out highly restrained subjects, and Birtchnell et al (1985) omitted dieters. Excluding highly restrained but nonbulimic women from studies of bulimia tends to downplay the normative discontent with body size and shape (Striegel-Moore, Silberstein, & Rodin, 1986) against which the clinical disorder must be seen.…”

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confidence: 99%

Body image assessment in patients with bulimia nervosa and normal controls

Lindholm

Wilson

1988

A video image distortion technique was used to assess differences in the perceived (actual) and ideal body size and shape among female patients with bulimia nervosa (n = 12) and two groups of nondepressed, non‐eating‐disordered women classified as restrained (n = 12) or unrestrained (n = 12) eaters. On the majority of measures of body image the bulimic patients and restrained eaters differed from the unrestrained eaters but did not differ significantly from each other. The results do not show that body image disturbance, at least as it was assessed in this study, discriminates bulimics from appropriate nonclinical controls. In absolute terms the bulimics were more accurate than the controls in estimating their current body size. The latter underestimated their body size. However, the bulimics' estimates were higher in relation to the controls. The discrepancy between perceived body size and ideal body size also differentiated the groups, with the bulimic and restrained subjects exhibiting significantly more discrepancy between perceived and ideal than the unrestrained subjects. Significant correlations between body size estimation and self‐report of body satisfaction suggests that evaluation and perception of body are closely associated.

“…In recent years, the phenomenon has also been found to occur with bulimic populations (Willmuth, Leitenberg, Rosen, Fondacaro, & Gross, 1985). In fact, some evidence suggests that bulimics may overestimate to a greater extent than individuals with anorexia nervosa (Thompson, Berland, Linton, & Weinsier, 1986).…”

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confidence: 99%

Body size distortion and self-esteem in asymptomatic, normal weight males and females

Thompson

Thompson²

1986

The purpose of this study was to assess body size distortion and the relationship between self‐esteem and distortion in normal weight, asymptomatic individuals. There were 30 male and 30 female subjects selected from a general college population. Criteria for acceptance included a weight range within 10% of ideal and no history of eating disorder behaviors. Subjects completed Rosenberg's self‐esteem questionnaire and estimated the size of four body sites using an adjustable light beam technique. Estimations were compared with actual sizes assessed with body calipers. On the average, all subjects overestimated their body sizes. Females had significantly higher body distortion scores than males, but significantly lower self‐esteem scores. There was a significant positive correlation between self‐esteem and distortion level for the males' waist and a significant negative correlation for the females' thighs. In addition, there was a significant negative correlation between overall distortion level and self‐esteem for females. The results were discussed with regard to the greater incidence of eating disorders in females and the importance of correlates of body distortion in asymptomatic populations.