Representations of eating among adolescent Italian girls

The representations of eating of 200 adolescent girls, 100 obese and 100 of normal weight, were examined. Factor analysis was used to detect any qualitative, quantitative, or structural differences between the two groups' representations of eating. The results indicated a difference in the emotional characteristics of the representation: Obese participants not only failed to recognize the "abnormality" of overeating but considered it "ideal" because of what they perceived to be its components of strength and power.