Eating and body attitudes of anorexia and bulimia nervosa patients

Abstract

Objective:  Evaluate how eating and body attitudes to correlate among anorexia or bulimia nervosa patients.

Methods:  Adult patients seeking treatment in a specialized outpatient center diagnosed with anorexia nervosa (n = 48) or bulimia nervosa (n = 58) filled out the Disordered Eating Attitude Scale (DEAS) to evaluate eating attitudes and the Body Attitude Questionnaire (BAQ) to evaluate body attitudes – both translated and validated for young women in Brazil. Correlations among DEAS and BAQ scores were evaluated by Pearson correlation coefficient. Linear regression models tested predictors of eating and body attitudes.

Results:  Bulimia nervosa patients presented more dysfunctional relationship with food – DEAS subscale 1 (p < 0.001); they also presented worse body attitudes (BAQ total and five subscales). Correlations analysis between DEAS and BAQ were stronger for anorexia than bulimia, there was strong correlation for both (r > 0.6) just for “relationship with food” and “feeling fat”, and for “body attitude” as a whole and “relationship with food”. Score in DEAS total was predictor BAQ total score: each one score in DEAS increases 0.788 in BAQ (R² = 0.628).

Conclusion:  Bulimia nervosa patients presented worse relationship with food and worse body attitudes. Body attitudes correlate with eating attitudes stronger for anorexia nervosa patients; more dysfunctional eating attitudes predict worst relationship with body for both diagnoses.

Eating disorders; anorexia nervosa; bulimia nervosa; body image; feeding behavior