Examining Facets of Body Image Disturbance Across Anorexia Nervosa Illness and Recovery Stages

Research suggests body image disturbance (BID) is a core feature of anorexia nervosa (AN), however, more research is required on how BID may differ across illness and recovery stages. This study aimed to investigate differences in BID facets (body image dissatisfaction and body image perception) among women with AN who were currently ill and at varying recovery stages, and women with no history of eating disorders (non-ED controls).

One hundred ninety-nine women (18-65 years old) meeting criteria for either current AN (AN-C; n = 73), weight-restoration (AN-WR; n = 86), partial recovery (AN-PR; n = 19), or full recovery (AN-FR; n = 21), and a group of non-ED controls (n = 128), completed online self-report measures of BID and AN symptom severity.

The AN-C and AN-WR showed significantly worse body image dissatisfaction and body image perception than the AN-FR and non-ED control groups.

These findings suggest that BID differs across AN recovery stages and suggests that holistic recovery from AN includes the remediation of BID. The findings highlight the need for treatment to provide continuous support especially after the weight-restoration period when BID may be at its peak.