A longitudinal examination of patterns in girls' weight concerns and body dissatisfaction from ages 5 to 9 years

OBJECTIVE: To examine the development of girls' weight concerns and body dissatisfaction from ages 5 to 9 years and how change and continuity in these constructs from age 5 to 7 years is associated with girls' eating attitudes, dietary restraint, and dieting status at age 9. METHODS: Weight concerns, body dissatisfaction, and weight status were assessed for 182 girls when they were 5, 7, and 9 years old, and their eating attitudes, dietary restraint, and dieting status were assessed when they were 9. RESULTS: Girls tended to maintain their rank in weight concerns and body dissatisfaction across ages 5 to 9 years, and associations among girls' weight concerns, body dissatisfaction, and weight status increased with age. In addition, positive associations were found between changes in girls' weight concerns, body dissatisfaction, and weight status across ages 7 to 9. Finally, girls' who reported high weight concerns or high body dissatisfaction across ages 5 to 7 reported higher dietary restraint, more maladaptive eating attitudes, and a greater likelihood of dieting at age 9, independent of their weight status. CONCLUSION: Girls' reported weight concerns and body dissatisfaction across middle childhood showed consistency over time, were systematically related to their weight status, and predicted their dietary restraint, eating attitudes, and the likelihood of dieting at age 9. These results reflect patterns identified among adolescent girls and women.     

The influence of body fat content and bone diameter measurements on body dissatisfaction in adult women

This study investigated the simultaneous influence of various anthropometric factors on body dissatisfaction in adult women while controlling for psychological and behavioral factors known to covary with it. Multiple regression analyses confirmed that neu-rotidsm, skeletal frame size, and percent body fat were positively, and age and physical activity inversely, related to dissatisfaction. Subsequent analyses substituted separate bone diameter measurements in place of the composite frame size variable and found that hip diameter, correcting for fatness, was a more salient factor in the determination of body dissatisfaction than the more general estimate of frame size. In pursuit of the perfect ultra-slender body women are encouraged to diet and exercise for weight loss more than ever before. It appears, however, that anatomical factors that are resistant to change by caloric restriction or physical activity, are a significant influence in the degree to which women report discontent with their body shape. © 1994 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

“Restrained Eating” vs “Trying to Lose Weight”: How Are They Associated with Body Weight and Tendency to Overeat among Postmenopausal Women?

In an effort to control body weight, many women diet or adopt a restrained approach to eating. Although common, dieting and dietary restraint remain poorly understood. Clarification of their association with health-related factors, such as body weight and overeating, is required. In this study, we explored how dieting and dietary restraint were associated with body mass index (BMI; calculated as kg/m²) and disinhibition (tendency to overeat) in a sample of 1,071 postmenopausal women aged 45 to 75 years. In a survey of dietary attitudes and body image, we asked about current dieting status and measured restrained eating and disinhibition. Self-reported height and weight were used to calculate BMI, which was confirmed in a subset. Participants were classified by dieting status (yes/no) and level of dietary restraint (high/low by median split).We examined the independent effects of dieting and restrained eating on BMI and disinhibition. More than half of the sample (53%) reported current dieting. Dieting and dietary restraint showed opposite associations with BMI. Among dieters, BMI was 4.1 higher (95% confidence interval: 3.6 to 4.6) than among nondieters. In contrast, BMI of restrained eaters was 1.0 lower (95% confidence interval: −1.6 to −0.5) than unrestrained eaters. Dieters had higher scores for disinhibition, but disinhibition scores of restrained eaters did not differ from those of unrestrained eaters. Our results suggest that dieting and dietary restraint are not equivalent. Finding that dietary restraint is associated with lower BMI (when considered independently of dieting) suggests that restrained eating, rather than dieting, may contribute to successful weight management.     

Half of rural girls aged 8 to 17 years report weight concerns and dietary changes,with both more prevalent with increased age

OBJECTIVE: Determine body image satisfaction, weight concerns and dieting behaviors, Tanner index, and dietary adequacy in young women and girls. DESIGN: A cross-sectional, self-selected comparative survey was completed. SUBJECTS/SETTING: Rural white women and girls (N=333) aged 8 to 17 years, completed a weight concerns and dieting behavior questionnaire, a body image assessment, and a self-rating of sexual maturity, and 230 subjects completed 3-day diet diaries. ANALYSES PERFORMED: Correlational analysis identified relationships between variables among age groups (8 to 10 years, 11 to 14 years, and 15 to 17 years). Analysis of variance examined differences among variables. Multiple regression analysis measured the influence of variables on diet quality. A mean adequacy ratio (MAR) was computed to express dietary adequacy. RESULTS: More than half (52%) of the subjects reported 1 or more weight concerns and dieting behaviors. This pattern increased with age. Friends dieting positively influenced scores (P=.0001) for 8- to 14-year olds, and a dieting family member meant higher scores (P=.04) for all ages studied. Although most wanted to be smaller, there was little body image dissatisfaction. Girls (aged 11 to 17 years) who dieted had greater body dissatisfaction (P=.0001) and significantly lower (P=.002), but adequate diets (MAR=76) compared to those who did not diet (MAR=81). Inverse relationships were found for the 11- to 14-year olds with diet adequacy and the following variables: body image dissatisfaction (-2.7, P<.01) and weight concerns and dieting behaviors (-3.7, P<.001). These variables accounted for 34% (P=.0001) of the variance in the MAR. APPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS: Dietitians, partnering with school and health clinic personnel, need to educate girls younger than age 11 years about attaining the dietary adequacy needed to support expected growth. This age is important because it appears that actual weight and dieting concerns begin earlier, and by age 11 years, negatively affect diet quality.     

Associations among body size dissatisfaction, perceived dietary control, and diet history in African American and European American women

European American (EA) women report greater body dissatisfaction and less dietary control than do African American (AA) women. This study investigated whether ethnic differences in dieting history contributed to differences in body dissatisfaction and dietary control, or to differential changes that may occur during weight loss and regain. Eighty-nine EA and AA women underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry to measure body composition and completed questionnaires to assess body dissatisfaction and dietary control before, after, and one year following, a controlled weight-loss intervention. While EA women reported a more extensive dieting history than AA women, this difference did not contribute to ethnic differences in body dissatisfaction and perceived dietary control. During weight loss, body satisfaction improved more for AA women, and during weight regain, dietary self-efficacy worsened to a greater degree for EA women. Ethnic differences in dieting history did not contribute significantly to these differential changes. Although ethnic differences in body image and dietary control are evident prior to weight loss, and some change differentially by ethnic group during weight loss and regain, differences in dieting history do not contribute significantly to ethnic differences in body image and dietary control.     

Validity of dietary restraint among 5- to 9-year old girls

Dietary restraint is defined as the cognitive tendency to restrict intake and is often accompanied by the breakdown of restraint, referred to as disinhibition, leading to overeating and overweight in adults. Given recent evidence suggesting that dietary restraint and disinhibition are emerging as early as middle childhood, this study examined the validity of the restraint construct as measured in girls between the ages of 5 and 9. Dietary restraint was assessed longitudinally by questionnaire and validity was established by correlating restraint with measures previously reported to be related to restraint including weight concerns, body esteem, self-reported dieting, and measures of dietary intake when girls were ages 5, 7, and 9. Participants were 153 girls from predominately middle class, and exclusively non-Hispanic white families living in central Pennsylvania. Correlational data were used to assess relationships between dietary restraint and weight concerns, body esteem, dietary intake, and dieting. Results from this study indicate that there is evidence for the validity of the dietary restraint construct among girls by age 9. Specifically, dietary restraint was highly and positively associated with body mass index, weight concerns and body dissatisfaction and negatively correlated with dietary intake, findings similar to those reported in the adult literature.     

Weight control behaviors among adult men and women: cause for concern?

OBJECTIVES: To examine gender differences in weight control behaviors; their duration and the consistency of their use over a 3-year period; and variations of these behaviors by body mass index (BMI). RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: The study population included 714 women and 229 men participating in a community-based weight gain prevention program who completed surveys about their weight control behaviors annually for 3 years. General dieting behaviors (e.g., current, regular, and past dieting), dietary restraint (using Restrained Eating subscale of the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire), and specific weight control practices (e.g., increasing exercise, skipping meals, and taking laxatives) were assessed. RESULTS: Women were more likely than men to report weight control behaviors, with particularly strong associations found between gender and "history of dieting" (odds ratio = 8.1) and "participation in an organized weight loss program" (odds ratio = 11.7). Among both genders, exercise was the most frequently reported specific weight loss practice (66% of women and 53% of men), followed by decreasing fat intake (62% of women and 48% of men). The use of at least one unhealthy weight control behavior over the past year was reported by 22% of the women and 17% of the men. Gender differences were not found for duration of use of most of the specific weight control practices over the past year, or for consistency of general dieting behaviors and dietary restraint over time. Although both gender and BMI were strongly associated with dieting behaviors, interactions between gender and BMI on prevalence rates of dieting were not significant. DISCUSSION: Although weight control behaviors were more prevalent among women than men, in general, large gender differences were not found in the types of behaviors used and the duration and consistency of their use. The high percentages of adults using healthy methods of weight control was encouraging. However, there is still cause for concern, in that unhealthy weight control practices were also reported by a significant percentage of the population.     

Eating behaviours, dietary profile and body composition according to dieting history in men and women of the Québec Family Study

The purpose of the present cross-sectional study was to compare eating behaviours (cognitive dietary restraint, disinhibition and susceptibility to hunger), dietary profile and physiological variables according to the practice of dieting: current dieting; history of dieting in the 10-year period that preceded the study; no dieting during the same period. Dieting history, anthropometric markers of adiposity, RMR, dietary profile (3 d food record) and eating behaviours (three-factor eating questionnaire) were determined in a sample of 244 men and 352 women. A greater proportion of women (31.8 %) than men (16.8 %) reported that they had been on a diet over the past 10 years (P=0.0001). In both genders, current and past dieters had a higher BMI (P<0.05) than non-dieters and current dieters had lower reported energy intakes than past dieters and non-dieters (only in women) (P<0.05). Current and past dieters also had higher scores for all eating behaviours and their subscales (P<0.05; except for susceptibility to hunger in men) compared with non-dieters (adjusted for age, reported energy intake, percentage of dietary fat, BMI and RMR). Moreover, for each dieting-history category, women had significantly higher scores for cognitive dietary restraint than men (P<0.05). In conclusion, the present study showed that current and past dieters had higher scores for cognitive dietary restraint and disinhibition compared with non-dieters. As disinhibition has previously been associated with a greater risk of subsequent weight gain, interventions aimed at preventing an increase in disinhibition may be promising for long-term weight maintenance.     

Girls at risk for overweight at age 5 are at risk for dietary restraint, disinhibited overeating, weight concerns, and greater weight gain from 5 to 9 years

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to investigate the emergence of dietary restraint, disinhibited eating, weight concerns, and body dissatisfaction among girls from 5 to 9 years old, and to assess whether girls at risk for overweight at age 5 were at greater risk for the emergence of restraint, disinhibited overeating, weight concerns, and body dissatisfaction. DESIGN: Longitudinal data were used to assess the relationship between weight status and the development of dietary restraint, aspects of disinhibited overeating, weight concern, and body dissatisfaction at ages 5, 7, and 9 years. SUBJECTS: Participants were 153 girls from predominately middle class and exclusively non-Hispanic white families living in central Pennsylvania.Statistical analyses Differences in weight status, dietary restraint, disinhibition, weight concern, and body dissatisfaction between girls at risk (>85th percentile body mass index) or not at risk for overweight at age 5 were assessed using repeated measures analysis of variance at ages 5, 7, and 9 years. RESULTS: Girls who were at risk for overweight at age 5 reported significantly higher levels of restraint, disinhibition, weight concern, and body dissatisfaction by age 9. Girls at risk for overweight at age 5 also showed greater increases in weight status from 5 to 9 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: Higher levels of dietary restraint, weight concern, and body dissatisfaction among young girls at risk for overweight were accompanied by greater weight gain from 5 to 9 years of age, consistent with other recent findings suggesting that youths' attempts at weight control may promote weight gain. Positive alternatives to attempts at dietary restriction are essential to promoting healthful weight status among children, and should include encouraging physical activity, promoting children's acceptance of a variety of low-energy-density foods, and providing guides to appropriate portion sizes.     

Predicting change in physical activity, dietary restraint, and physique anxiety in adolescent girls: examining covariance in physical self-perceptions

OBJECTIVES: To examine: i) the mean changes in adolescent females' body mass index (BMI), global self-esteem, physical self-perceptions, social physique anxiety, physical activity, and dietary restraint; ii) the stability of measuring self-perceptions, BMI, self-esteem, physique anxiety, activity, and dietary restraint; and iii) the relationships among changes in these variables over 12 months. METHODS: 631 female adolescents (15-16 years old) involved in a two-year study of self-report measures completed validated questionnaires in high school classroom settings. RESULTS: There were small but significant group increases in BMI and social physique anxiety and significant decreases in sport, conditioning, and strength physical self-perceptions and physical activity. Stability analysis indicates moderate to strong stability for all variables. Change analyses indicated that BMI, due to its high stability, is a poor predictor of change in all variables. Stronger significant correlations were noted between change in body appearance self-perceptions and change in social physique anxiety (r=-0.54) and dietary restraint (r=-0.27). There was also a significant relationship between change in physical activity and the physical self-perceptions, although conditioning was the only significant (p<0.05) predictor of change in physical activity (beta=0.340). INTERPRETATION: Physical self-perceptions are a stronger predictor of change in physical activity, dietary restraint, and social physique anxiety compared to BMI. This demonstrates the importance of physical self-perceptions when investigating health-related behaviours associated with dieting and physical activity. The decline in physical activity and increase in BMI is an ongoing concern, as is the link between body appearance self-perceptions and dietary restraint and social physique anxiety.     

Predictors of long-term weight maintenance

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate available variables of a long-term weight maintenance study to investigate possible factors predisposing to weight regain after a period of weight loss. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: The Maastricht Weight Maintenance Study is an ongoing longitudinal study of healthy men and women (29 men and 62 women; 18 to 65 years of age; BMI = 30.2 +/- 3.1 kg/m(2)). A variety of parameters were measured before and after a very-low-energy diet and after a follow-up of at least 2 years. RESULTS: Mean weight loss was 7.9 +/- 3.6 kg, and percent weight regain was 113.8 +/- 98.1%. Percent BMI regain was negatively associated with an increase in dietary restraint (r = -0.47, p < 0.05). Percent weight regain was negatively correlated with baseline resting metabolic rate (r = -0.38, p = 0.01) and baseline fat mass (r = -0.24, p = 0.05) and positively correlated with the magnitude of change in body weight (BW) expressed as maximum amplitude of BW (r = 0.21, p < 0.05). In addition, amplitude of BW was positively correlated with the frequency of dieting (r = 0.57, p < 0.01). DISCUSSION: The best predictors for weight maintenance after weight loss were an increase in dietary restraint during weight loss, a high baseline resting metabolic rate, a relatively high baseline fat mass favoring a fat-free mass-sparing effect during weight loss, a rather stable BW, and a low frequency of dieting. Therefore, BW maintenance after BW loss seems to be a multifactorial issue, including mechanisms that regulate an individuals' energy expenditure, body composition, and eating behavior in such a way that energy homeostasis is maintained.     

Body Dissatisfaction,Dietary Restraint,Depression, and Weight Status in Adolescents

BACKGROUND: Adolescence may be a crucial period for developing obesity and associated mental health problems. This study examined the relationship of weight status on body image, eating behavior, and depressive symptoms in youth. METHODS: A survey was conducted on 1490 youth attending grades 7–12. Participants completed questionnaires on body image, eating behavior, and mood and were measured for height and weight to calculate body mass index (BMI). Weight classification was based on the International Obesity Task Force guidelines, whereby youth at or above the 95th BMI percentile for age and sex were classified as obese, those between 85th and 94th BMI percentile as overweight, and those between 5th and 84th BMI percentile as normal weight. Several multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) were conducted to examine these relationships. RESULTS: Clear relationships emerged between body image and weight classification. Obese youth reported higher body dissatisfaction than overweight youth, who reported more body dissatisfaction than normal weight youth. These effects were independent of age and gender. A relationship was also found for dietary restraint and weight status whereby higher restraint scores were associated with greater adiposity. Similarly, obese youth reported greater depressive symptoms, including anhedonia, negative self-esteem, and higher overall depression scores compared with overweight and normal-weight youth. CONCLUSIONS: Psychopathology in obese youth is well known in clinical samples but this study suggests that obese youth in the community may be at increased risk of developing body dissatisfaction, dietary restraint, and depressive symptoms compared with overweight or normal weight youth.     

Dietary fat reduction behaviors in college students: relationship to dieting status, gender and key psychosocial variables

The primary objectives were to assess dietary fat reduction/avoidance behaviors within a sample of college students, and to assess the strength of the relationship between self reported fat avoidance and a number of variables including body mass index (BMI), self-esteem, and responses to the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) and Eating Attitudes Test (EAT). A total of 210 female and 114 male undergraduate students were administered a food habits questionnaire (which assessed four dietary fat reduction behaviors), the EDI, the dieting subscale of the EAT, and the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory. Measured heights and weights were used to compute BMI. Thirty-eight percent of the females and 13% of the males reported that they had dieted with the express purpose of losing weight in the past 12 months. The finding that females in general and female dieters in particular, scored higher on the EAT dieting subscale, and relied on three of the four dietary fat reduction behaviors to a greater extent than did males, supports the assertion that women rely heavily on dietary fat avoidance as a method to reduce caloric intakes. In females, the finding that a greater degree of fat avoidance was associated with significantly lower levels of self-esteem and higher scores on the EAT and on six of the eight EDI subscales suggested that fat avoidance may be a predictor of eating pathology and/or psychosocial problems in college-aged women.     

Body image and body satisfaction play important roles in the path to dieting behavior in Japanese preadolescents: The Toyama birth cohort study

Objectives To analyze the path to dieting behavior in Japanese preadolescents. Methods A cross-sectional study of dieting behavior among 5,244 preadolescents (2,452 boys and 2,792 girls aged 12–13) born in Toyama prefecture. Results While increasing with body mass index (BMI), the percentage of those who had tried dieting was higher in those who perceived themselves fat than in those who perceived themselves thin or average. Of those who wanted to be thinner, 16.1% of boys and 26.8% of girls had tried dieting. Path analysis in nonobese subjects (2,116 boys and 2,334 girls) showed that (1) body image was primarily based on BMI, (2) body image led to body dissatisfaction, and (3) body dissatisfaction led to dieting behavior. Pubertal changes had a significant effect on body image (path coefficient <0)for boys and body satisfaction (path coefficient >0) for girls, in addition to that on BMI. Maternal BMI had a significant effect on BMI but not on body image, body satisfaction, or dieting behavior. Conclusions Body image and body satisfaction play important roles in the path to dieting behavior in Japanese preadolescents. Pubertal changes may reinforce dieting behavior, but the mechanism may differ by sex.     

Flexible vs. Rigid Dieting Strategies: Relationship with Adverse Behavioral Outcomes

This study was designed to test the hypothesis that different types of dieting strategies are associated with different behavioral outcomes by investigating the relationship of dieting behaviors with overeating, body mass and mood. A sample of 223 adult male and female participants from a large community were studied. Only a small proportion of the sample (18%) was seeking weight loss treatment, though almost half (49.3%) of the subjects were significantly overweight (body mass index, BMI>30). Subjects were administered questionnaires measuring dietary restraint, overeating, depression and anxiety. Measurements of height and weight were also obtained in order to calculate BMI. Canonical correlation was performed to evaluate the relationship of dietary restraint variables with overeating variables, body mass, depression and anxiety. The strongest canonical correlation (r=0.65) was the relationship between flexible dieting and the absence of overeating, lower body mass and lower levels of depression and anxiety. The second strongest canonical correlation (r=0.59) associated calorie counting and conscious dieting with overeating while alone and increased body mass. The third canonical correlation (r=0.57) found a relationship between low dietary restraint and binge eating. The results support the hypothesis that overeating and other adverse behaviors and moods are associated with the presence or absence of certain types of dieting behavior.     

Intentional mis-reporting of food consumption and its relationship with body mass index and psychological scores in women

BACKGROUND: The reasons for mis-reporting food consumption warrant investigation. OBJECTIVE: To document intention to mis-report food consumption and its associations with psychological measures in women. DESIGN: A total of 184 female volunteers aged 18-65 years, comprising 50 seeking help in primary care to lose weight with a body mass index (BMI) >/=30 kg m(-2) (obese-clinical group) and 134 nurses (nonclinical groups) (BMI <25 kg m(-2), n = 52; BMI 25-29.9 kg m(-2), n = 45; BMI >/=30 kg m(-2), n = 37) were studied. A questionnaire was administered containing three psychological tests (self-esteem, psychological well-being and Stunkard's three-factor eating questionnaire) and new items to address food intake mis-reporting. RESULTS: Overall, 68% of participants declared an inclination to mis-report (64% nonclinical, 78% clinical). Inclination to under-report was 29, 33 and 51% in the three nonclinical groups; and 46% among the obese clinical patients. Among the same groups, inclination to over-report were 39, 29, 11 and 32%. After adjusting for social deprivation and BMI, women inclined to mis-report had higher hunger (P = 0.008) and disinhibition (P = 0.005) scores than those intending to report accurately. These variables were associated with current dieting, frequency of dieting, self-reported bingeing and dissatisfaction with body weight. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that intentional under-reporting and over-reporting of food consumption are common in women of all BMI categories and are associated with eating behaviour. Current dieting, frequency of dieting in the past, self-reported bingeing and dissatisfaction with body weight seem to mediate this relationship.     

Body dissatisfaction mediates the association between body mass index and risky weight control behaviors among White and Native American adolescent girls

The developmental path leading to eating disorders among adolescent girls often proceeds from increasing body size, to increasing body dissatisfaction, to increasing eating disorder (ED) risk. To determine whether body dissatisfaction (BD) mediates the association between body size and risky weight control behaviors, we examined data from White (n=709) and Native American (n=253) girls, who differ substantially in terms of average body mass and reported weight control behaviors. Measures of BD included weight, shape, and appearance concerns. Measures of ED risk included dieting, exercising to control weight, binge eating, and vomiting. Results showed body dissatisfaction was a highly significant mediator of the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and ED risk for both ethnic groups; although, BD did not mediate the association between BMI and binge eating for either group. BD is apparently an important mediator of the association between body size and some, but not all, risky weight control behaviors.     

Eating behaviors and indexes of body composition in men and women from the Québec family study

OBJECTIVE: To put into relationship the dietary and anthropometric profile of men and women with their eating behaviors (cognitive dietary restraint, disinhibition, and susceptibility to hunger) and to assess whether gender and obesity status influence these associations. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Anthropometric measurements (including visceral adipose tissue accumulation), dietary profile (3-day food record), and eating behaviors (Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire) were determined in a sample of 244 men and 352 women. RESULTS: Women had significantly higher cognitive dietary restraint and disinhibition scores than men (p < 0.0001). In both genders, scores for disinhibition and susceptibility to hunger, but not for cognitive dietary restraint, were higher in obese subjects than in overweight and nonobese subjects (p < 0.05). Positive correlations were observed between rigid restraint and most of the anthropometric variables studied (0.12 相似文献   

Body dissatisfaction and dietary restraint influence binge eating behavior

As binge eating is a common behavior throughout the general population, we hypothesized that body dissatisfaction would produce binge eating via its prediction of dieting. Six hundred eight individuals were nonrandomly recruited from the community. The mean age and body mass index of participants were 34.76 years (SD, 14.41) and 27.82 kg/m² (SD, 9.54), respectively. Participants were asked to complete several self-report questionnaires, which included measures of dieting status, binge eating behavior, body dissatisfaction, overvaluation of weight and shape, and self-esteem. The results showed that dieting was a common behavior; 38.1% of participants reported dieting during the past year. Binge eating during the previous 6 months was reported by 9.9% of the sample and was associated with a higher body mass index as well as more frequent dieting. A model including dieting status, overvaluation of weight and shape, shape satisfaction, and self-esteem showed the best fit for the prediction of binge eating behavior. Moreover, those who dieted and overvalued their weight and shape were 2.01 and 2.31 times more likely, respectively, to binge eat. Structural equation modeling revealed that body dissatisfaction caused dietary restraint, thus triggering binge eating. Both dieting and overvaluation of weight and shape are important risk factors for the development of binge eating disorders. Dieting and binge eating are common behaviors that represent a risk for the development of both excess weight and eating disorders. The structural model proposed in this study could be beneficial in understanding this causal relationship.