Differences in the Associations between Body Dissatisfaction and Eating Outcomes by Gender? A Lebanese Population...

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Eating disorders are a significant public health concern.
• Body dissatisfaction is a known risk factor for eating disorders.
• Understanding the interplay of body dissatisfaction and gender is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the combined effect of body dissatisfaction and gender on various eating disorder behaviors.
• To analyze the prevalence of restrained eating, binge eating, orthorexia nervosa, and emotional eating in relation to body dissatisfaction and gender.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 811 Lebanese adults was conducted.
• Data were collected using validated scales for body dissatisfaction, eating disorders, stress, anxiety, and depression.
• Statistical analyses, including correlation and regression, were employed to examine the relationships.

Main Results:

• Body dissatisfaction positively correlated with restrained eating, emotional eating, and binge eating.
• The interaction between body dissatisfaction and gender significantly predicted restrained eating and orthorexia nervosa.
• Higher body dissatisfaction was associated with increased restrained eating (more in women) and orthorexia nervosa (in women only), and emotional eating (in men only).

Conclusions:

• Gender significantly moderates the relationship between body dissatisfaction and specific eating disorders.
• Interventions targeting body dissatisfaction should be tailored based on gender to address restrained eating and orthorexia nervosa effectively.
• Further research is needed to explore these complex interactions in diverse populations.