Binge Eating and Body Image

Binge eating disorder is a serious eating disorder in which people frequently consume very large amounts of food. According to the Mayo clinic, people with binge eating disorder keep eating even when they are full, they eat rapidly during binge episodes, feel that their eating behavior is out of control, and frequently eating alone (Staff). Body image is the image a person constructs of how they appear and how they imagine they appear to others. (Thompson, 2004).

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The Behavior Modification study compared the females who have binge eating disorder and females that do not have binge eating disorder. The study had 15 female participants with severe obesity and a binge eating disorder (OBE) as well as 15 female participants with only obesity (ONB) (Legenbauer, Vocks, Betz, Puigcerver, Benecke, Troje, and Rüddel 160-185). The binge eating disorder group had an average age of 33.8 years and an average weight of 121.1 kg (Legenbauer, Vocks, Betz, Puigcerver, Benecke, Troje, and Rüddel 160-185). For the ONB group, the average age was 40.7 years and the mean weight of the group was 120.2 kg (Legenbauer, Vocks, Betz, Puigcerver, Benecke, Troje, and Rüddel 160-185).

The study used questionnaires to measure body image disturbances and eating behavior. They called the questionnaire Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire or EDE-Q for short. The EDE-Q measured the relevant characteristics of eating disorders on a 7-point scale (Legenbauer, Vocks, Betz, Puigcerver, Benecke, Troje, and Rüddel 160-185). Answers on the high end of the scale like 5 to 6 were scores reflecting greater severity or frequency of binge eating disorder (Legenbauer, Vocks, Betz, Puigcerver, Benecke, Troje, and Rüddel 160-185). The study also included and visual aspect. The researchers took photographs of the participants in leggings and a tight-fitting T-shirt (Legenbauer, Vocks, Betz, Puigcerver, Benecke, Troje, and Rüddel 160-185). The picture was presented on a computer screen with the following questions: “What do you really look like?”(actual body image), “What do you feel you look like?” (felt body image), and “What would you like to look like?” (Legenbauer, Vocks, Betz, Puigcerver, Benecke, Troje, and Rüddel 160-185). By pressing keys, the participants could adjust the width of their picture, making their body appear thinner or fatter (Legenbauer, Vocks, Betz, Puigcerver, Benecke, Troje, and Rüddel 160-185)

The study found that the group with binge eating disorder (OBE) showed higher body dissatisfaction. Throughout the study the women with OBE reported higher dissatisfaction for all parts of the body (Legenbauer, Vocks, Betz, Puigcerver, Benecke, Troje, and Rüddel 160-185). The photo part of the study revealed no significant differences between OBE and ONB groups in relation to the perception of body dimensions (Legenbauer, Vocks, Betz, Puigcerver, Benecke, Troje, and Rüddel 160-185).

The journal used multiple references for support for of the study. For example, in a recent review by Yanovski (2003) they suggest that binge eating may be an important contributor to obesity (Legenbauer, Vocks, Betz, Puigcerver, Benecke, Troje, and Rüddel 160-185). They also state that binge eating behavior could possibly be an emotion regulation strategy for coping with negative feelings such as frustration and even the depressive symptoms associated with body satisfaction (Legenbauer, Vocks, Betz, Puigcerver, Benecke, Troje, and Rüddel 160-185). According to Bruce and Agras, approximately, 10% of the obese population and 30% of obese participants in weight reduction programs have a binge eating disorder (BED; de Zwaan & Mitchell, 1992; Spitzer et al., 1992, 1993; Striegel-Moore & Franko, 2003).

It’s clear to see from the results of the study that people with binge eating disorder have more problems with body image. If you have poor body image or know someone with poor body image, get them the help they need. There are many counselors and nutritionists available for students at UNC. Those people are here for you. If you don’t know anyone with a eating disorder or poor body image, it’s important to know how eating disorders can affect the people who have them. It’s better to be aware of what they can cause the people going through them because the affects can be physically and psychologically detrimental to one’s life.

Works Cited:

Legenbauer, Tanja, Silja Vocks, Sabrina Betz, María Puigcerver, Andrea Benecke, Nikolaus Troje, and Heinz Rüddel. "Differences in the Nature of Body Image Disturbances Between Female Obese Individuals With Versus Without a Comorbid Binge Eating Disorder: An Exploratory Study Including Static and Dynamic Female Obese Aspects of Body Image." Behavior Modification . (2011): 160-185. Print. <http://bmo.sagepub.com.libproxy.lib.unc.edu/content/35/2/162.full.pdf html>.

(Legenbauer, Vocks, Betz, Puigcerver, Benecke, Troje, and Rüddel 160-185)

Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Mayo Clinic." Binge-Eating Disorder . Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, Aug 2011. Web. 19 Oct 2011. < Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/binge-eating-disorder/DS00608>.

Thompson, J. K. (2004). The (mis)measurement of body image: Ten strategies to
improve assessment for applied and research purposes. Body Image, 1, 7-14.