Body image in eating disorders and analysis of its relevance: A preliminary study

The purpose of the present study was to assess body perception in eating di sorders and its meaning in therapy. A total of 44 patients, 25 bulimia nerv osa and 19 anorexia nervosa, admitted at a specialized in-patient treatment center participated in the present study. Body size estimation procedures (video-distortion and image-marking techniques) and self-report questionnai res were used for the assessment. No significant differences were found in actual body size estimation between the two eating disorder groups. either before or after therapy. It emerged after therapy that the outcome was not related to body size estimation. These findings suggest that there is no ev idence for a serious impairment of body perception (size estimation) in eat ing-disordered patients, but rather for a disturbance in the emotional aspe ct of body image, as expressed in negative body attitudes, Body size percep tion does not appear to be a predictor of treatment outcome in eating disor ders. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.