The nature of body image disturbance in patients with binge eating disorder

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the distinction between body dissatisfaction and self-evaluation unduly influenced by body shape and weight, and their longitudinal relationships to depressive symptomatology and self-esteem in patients with binge eating disorder (BED). METHOD: Ninety-seven patients with BED completed measures tapping these constructs at baseline and again 4 weeks later. RESULTS: Change in body dissatisfaction was significantly correlated with both change in depressive symptomatology and change in self-esteem over time, whereas change in self-evaluation was significantly correlated only with change in self-esteem. In addition, change in shape concern, but not change in weight concern, was significantly correlated with change in self-esteem only. DISCUSSION: These findings suggest that self-evaluation unduly influenced by body shape is a more useful indicator for BED than body dissatisfaction or self-evaluation unduly influenced by weight.