Mechanisms of influence of body checking on binge eating

Abstract

Despite the theorized role of body checking behaviours in the maintenance process of binge eating, the mechanisms by which they may impact binge eating remain unclear. Using objectification model of eating pathology as a theoretical framework, the authors examined the potential intervening roles of body shame, appearance anxiety, and dietary restraint in the pathway between body checking and binge eating. Data collected from a large sample of treatment-seeking people with Bulimic-type Eating Disorders (N = 801) were analysed trough structural equation modelling. Results showed that, regardless of specific DSM-5 diagnostic categories, body checking behaviours were indirectly associated with binge eating and dietary restraint through body shame and appearance anxiety, whereas dietary restraint was directly linked to binge eating. The findings have clinical utility as they contribute to gaining insight into how critical scrutiny of one's body may act in several indirect ways to affect binge eating. We discuss practical implications of the findings.

Validity and utility of the DSM‐5 severity specifier for binge‐eating disorder

“…Participants categorized with mild, moderate, severe, and extreme severity, based on their pretreatment clinician-rated BE frequency, differed significantly from each other in physical characteristics (BMI) and another 16 variables of clinical interest assessed at pretreatment regarding ED psychopathology and putative maintenance factors, psychiatric comorbidity and distress, and psychosocial impairment, with significantly higher levels/rates across the severity groups. These findings expand on recent work revealing that the BED severity groups were statistically distinguishable in levels of ED psychopathology (Grilo, Ivezaj, & White, 2015a, 2015b and depression (Grilo, Ivezaj, & White, 2015a) and are also consistent with earlier research indicating that greater BE frequency was significantly associated with higher mean BMI, ED psychopathology, lifetime and current psychiatric comorbidity, and psychosocial impairment (Dakanalis, Carr a, Calogero, Fida, et al, 2015;Dakanalis, Carr a, Timko, et al, 2015;Dakanalis, Favagrossa, Clerici, et al, 2015;Grilo, White, & Masheb, 2009;Peterson, Miller, Crow, Thuras, & Mitchell, 2005;Pla-Sanjuanelo et al, 2015;Striegel, Bedrosian, Wang, & Schwartz, 2012;Wilfley et al, 2000). In addition, in keeping with past research (Grilo, Ivezaj, & White, 2015a;Grilo, Ivezaj, & White, 2015b;Smink, van Hoeken, Oldehinkel, & Hoek, 2014), the severity groups were statistically indistinguishable in demographics and age-of-BED onset, lending some credence to scholars'…”

Prospective Psychosocial Predictors of Onset and Cessation of Eating Pathology amongst College Women

“…It can also magnify the discrepancy between actual and ideal body attributes and/or perceived body imperfections (e.g. Dakanalis, Carrà, Timko et al ., ; Fitzsimmons‐Craft et al ., ). Because of this, self‐objectification may play a key role in the acceleration of body dissatisfaction, associated affective distress and/or negative self‐evaluation, thereby potentiating meaningful increases in disordered eating symptoms or maintaining existing symptomatology (e.g.…”

The Social Appearance Anxiety Scale in Italian Adolescent Populations: Construct Validation and Group Discrimination in Community and Clinical Eating Disorders Samples

“…As the design of our studies precludes long term examination of the stability of the SAAS and of ME/I over time, future studies need to address these issues. How the SAAS affects additional specific behaviours that are associated with concerns about appearance (i.e., compulsive exercising, or anabolic steroid use [76][77][78][79][80][81][82]) needs to be also elucidated. Finally, in this work the DSM-IV criteria for EDs and SAD [28] were used as data were collected before the official publication of the DSM-5 [83].…”