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Related Experiment Videos

Body checking and avoidance in overweight patients with binge eating disorder.

Deborah L Reas1, Carlos M Grilo, Robin M Masheb

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8098, USA.

The International Journal of Eating Disorders
|April 28, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Body checking and avoidance behaviors are common in overweight individuals with binge eating disorder (BED). These behaviors are linked to overevaluating weight and shape, potentially maintaining BED.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Repetitive body checking and avoidance are key behavioral features of eating disorders (EDs).
  • These behaviors are considered manifestations of the core psychopathology in EDs.
  • Understanding these behaviors in binge eating disorder (BED) is crucial for effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine body checking and avoidance behaviors in overweight patients diagnosed with BED.
  • To investigate the associations between these behaviors and other ED-related features.
  • To explore the relationship between checking/avoidance and the core psychopathology of EDs.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 377 overweight (BMI ≥ 25) treatment-seeking BED patients (80 men, 297 women) participated.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Participants completed self-report measures assessing body checking, avoidance, binge eating, dietary restraint, disinhibition, and overevaluation of weight and shape.

    • Main Results:

    • The majority of participants engaged in regular body checking (pinching areas for fatness) and avoidance (e.g., certain clothing).
    • Body checking was significantly associated with dietary restraint.
    • Body avoidance was significantly associated with binge eating.
    • Both checking and avoidance were positively associated with overevaluation of weight and shape, independent of other factors.

    Conclusions:

    • The findings support the role of body checking and avoidance behaviors in the maintenance of BED.
    • These behaviors may contribute to the cycle of binge eating and negative self-perception in BED.
    • Targeting these behaviors could be a valuable therapeutic strategy for BED.