Body Checking Behaviors Among Boys and Men With Muscle Dysmorphia, Anorexia Nervosa, and Atypical Anorexia Nervosa

First, to compare body checking behaviors among boys and men with probable muscle dysmorphia or probable anorexia nervosa/atypical anorexia nervosa vs. those with neither. Second, to determine whether there is a difference in body checking behaviors between boys and men with probable muscle dysmorphia vs. probable anorexia nervosa/atypical anorexia nervosa.

Data from The Study of Boys and Men (N = 1153), a sample of boys and men ages 15-35 from Canada and the United States, were analyzed. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to determine the association between muscle dysmorphia and anorexia nervosa/atypical anorexia nervosa and Male Body Checking Questionnaire (MBCQ) total score and subscale scores. Post hoc Wald tests were used to compare MBCQ scores between participants with probable muscle dysmorphia vs. those with probable anorexia nervosa/atypical anorexia nervosa.

Participants with probable muscle dysmorphia or probable anorexia nervosa/atypical anorexia nervosa had higher scores on the MBCQ compared to those who had neither condition in both unadjusted and adjusted analyses. No significant differences were found in MBCQ scores between those with probable muscle dysmorphia and probable anorexia nervosa/atypical anorexia nervosa.

This study provides additional evidence that body checking behaviors are similar between boys and men with probable muscle dysmorphia and probable anorexia nervosa/atypical anorexia nervosa, highlighting the clinical and theoretical overlap between these conditions among boys and men. Assessment and treatment of muscle dysmorphia and anorexia nervosa/atypical anorexia nervosa should include body checking behaviors, specifically those focused on muscularity and leanness.