The impact of relationships on the association between sexual orientation and disordered eating in men

Abstract

Being in a relationship, independent of whether or not the relationship is satisfying, may be a protective factor for restrictive disordered eating in BG men.

Relationship status predicts lower restrictive eating pathology for bisexual and gay men across 10‐year follow‐up

“…Both effects could contribute to increased eating pathology in this at-risk group. Finally, the lack of effect of relationship status and relationship satisfaction for heterosexual men replicates and extends previous findings demonstrating the minimal impact of marital status 23 and relationship satisfaction 8, 19 on disordered eating in heterosexual men. However, it is notable that other romantic relationships variables, such as partner pressure to be lean, have been associated cross-sectionally with disordered eating in predominately heterosexual men.…”

“…8 Longitudinal results within the present study correspond with how romantic relationships may contribute to risk over time in models of eating pathology for BG men. 12 Consistent with possible applications of objectification theory, low relationship satisfaction for BG men may lead to greater body monitoring to attract the male gaze.…”

“…By extending cross-sectional findings 8 to demonstrate prospective associations between relationship variables and eating pathology over a 10-year follow-up, findings support Siever's 1 model for increased eating pathology in BG men. Consistent with his explanation, romantic relationships appear to have an enduring impact on restrictive eating pathology that may be explained by their influence on internalization of body ideals.…”

“…Further, we hypothesized that among men in relationships, low baseline relationship satisfaction should predict increased restrictive eating pathology in BG, but not heterosexual, men and this moderation effect should not extend to bulimic symptoms. Although the latter hypothesis differs from what would be predicted based on cross-sectional results from Brown and Keel, 8 these predictions are consistent with how relationships would affect internalization of the body ideal over time once the impact of bulimic symptoms on relationship variables is controlled.…”

“…In line with these hypotheses, Brown and Keel 8 found that single BG men had increased drive for thinness and dieting frequency compared to BG men in relationships and all heterosexual men. This association was specific to restrictive eating pathology and did not extend to bulimic symptoms, consistent with a more direct association between pursuit of a lean and muscular ideal and restrictive eating pathology.…”