EFFECT OF MOOD AND FOOD CUES ON BODY-IMAGE IN WOMEN WITH BULIMIA AND CONTROLS

Objective: The present study evaluated body image assessment and cue r eactivity in women with bulimia and controls in response to neutral, m ood, and food cues in isolation, and mood and food cues in combination . Method: Subjects were 7 women with bulimia nervosa and 8 control wom en. Food cues were individualized high-risk/favorite foods. Low mood w as elicited using the Musical Mood Induction Procedure. Order of cue p resentation was random across subjects. Body image and cue reactivity were assessed using a computer version of the silhouette method and se lf-report ratings, respectively. Results: Women with bulimia consisten tly rated their current body as being larger and their body image sati sfaction as being lower than control women. In addition, women with bu limia differentially rated their current body and a picture of a healt hy weight woman as being larger following exposure to food and/or mood cues. Ratings of ideal body were differentially affected by mood cues for control women. Ratings of body satisfaction were not affected by cue presentation. Mere presentation of high-risk foods in the absence of eating was sufficient to elicit urges to binge in women with bulimi a. Discussion: Body size estimation is not only affected by enduring c haracteristics (i.e., bulimia nervosa), but also more transient factor s such as short-term exposure to salient food and mood cues. (C) 1996 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.