Body shape perception and its disturbance in anorexia nervosa

The perception of body shape was studied in 15 female patients with anorexia nervosa and 15 age matched controls. A lens was used which could be manipulated to cause a horizontal distortion of an image projected onto a video monitor. The patients showed a greater tendency to over- and under-estimate their present body shape than did the controls. Further, the patients' desired body shape was significantly thinner than that of controls, as was their estimation of what constitutes a normal body shape. These findings are discussed in relation to the literature and it is suggested that they may have important implications for treatment.