The relationship between body-image and body-fat in adult women

Measures of body-fat or adiposity, body-image, and other psychological variables were obtained from a sample of 100 female volunteer subjects. The measures of adiposity included surface anthropometry, underwater weighing and a new electrical impedance method. Body-image measures were derived from two experimental techniques, namely the visual-size estimation (or calliper) method and a distorting-mirror, and also from a self-report body-satisfaction scale (BSS). The main findings were that measures of adiposity were positively and significantly related to each other. But, that by contrast, measures of body-image separated out into three distinct sets, namely: (i) 'mirror' accuracy, (2) 'callipers' accuracy, and (3) 'dissatisfaction/desire for change'. The 'accuracy' measures were found to be unrelated to measures of adiposity or other psychological variables: while the 'dissatisfaction' measures were found to relate to both of these. The implications of these findings for future studies of weight and eating disorder groups are discussed.