Body image, depression and eating behaviour: a comparative study in eating disordered women and healthy controls

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographic features and body image distortion categories of participants in Eating Disorders Group and Healthy Control Group.

	EDG % (N) N = 75	HCG % (N) N = 75	Test statistics
Marital status
Single	78.7 (59)	76 (57)	X^2= 0.177
Married	17.3 (13)	20 (15)
Other	4 (3)	4 (3)
Education
Primary	10.7 (8)	10.7 (8)	X^2= 0.135
High school	28 (21)	30.7 (23)
Collage	61.3 (46)	58.6 (44)
Socioeconomic status
Low	2.7 (2)	2.7 (2)
Middle	72 (54)	69.3 (52)	X^2= 0.149
Upper-middle	22.6 (17)	25.3 (19)
Upper	2.7 (2)	2.7 (2)
General medical illness
Yes	36 (27)	10.7 (8)	X^2= 13.353*
No	64 (48)	89.3 (67)
Family history of psychiatric disorder
Yes	54.7 (34)	13.3 (10)	X^2= 18.525*
No	45.3 (41)	86.7 (65)
Body image distortion
Underestimation  Accurate size estimation  Overestimation	34.7 (26)	66.6 (50)	X^2= 15.706*
	48 (36)	26.7 (20)
	17.3 (13)	6.7 (5)

*p < .001.

Table 2. Comparison of scale scores, body mass index, weight, and height in Eating Disorders Group and Healthy Control Group.

	EDG (N = 75)	HCG (N = 75)	Total (N = 150)	Test Statistics
	Mean/SD	Mean/SD	Mean/SD
EDE-Q Total score	2.1/1.6	1.0/0.9	1.6/1.4	Z = −3.896**
EDE-Q Restrained	2.0/1.7	1./1.3	1.6/1.6	Z = −3.618**
EDE-Q Eating concern	1.9/1.7	0.6/0.8	1.3/1.5	Z = −4.191**
EDE-Q Body concern	2.5/1.8	1.3/1.2	1.9/1.6	Z = −3.718**
EDE-Q Weight concern	2.2/1.7	1.1/0.9	1.6/1.5	Z = −3.952**
Beck Depression inventory	14.3/9.9	7.4/5.3	10.8/8.6	Z = −4.452**
PFRS-Body dissatisfaction	130.8/75.4	124.5/43.8	127.7/61.5	Z = -.312
PFRS-Body Image distortion	96.7/26.7	85.4/15.9	91.1/22.7	Z = −2.954*
Weight	52.89/12.2	59.9/11.5	56.3/12.3	Z = −4.013*
Height	163.6/6.8	163.1/5.0	163.4/5.9	Z = -.713
BMI	19.7/4.3	22.5/4.5	21.1/4.6	Z = −4.706**

Note: EDE-Q: Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire, PFRS: Photographic Figure Rating Scale, BMI: Body Mass Index.

*p < .01, **p < .001.

Table 3. Correlations between scale scores and Body Mass Index in Eating Disorders Group and Healthy Control Group.

	Group	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
1. EDE-Q	EDG	–	.895***	.937***	.948***	.938***	.510***	.600***	.230*	.321**
Total	HCG	–	.796***	.831***	.929***	.879***	.182	.513***	.169	.472***
2. EDE-Q	EDG		–	.809***	.794***	.779***	.474***	.491***	.252*	.215
Restrained	HCG		–	.590***	.617***	.630***	.040	.385**	.268	.409***
3. EDE-Q	EDG			–	.887***	.855***	.455***	.607***	.279*	.352**
Eating C.	HCG			–	.758***	.669***	.124	.413***	.230	.244*
4. EDE-Q	EDG				–	.919***	.526***	.636***	.218	.344**
Body C.	HCG				–	.818***	.215	.532***	.124	.522***
5. EDE-Q	EDG					–	.431***	.567***	.191	.295*
Weight C.	HCG					–	.246*	.472***	.151	.402***
6. BDI	EDG						–	.285*	.159	.125
	HCG						–	−.075	.123	−.158
7. PFRS-BD	EDG							–	.442***	.522***
	HCG							–	.425***	.815***
8. PFRS-BID	EDG								–	−.120
	HCG								–	.224
9. BMI	EDG									–
	HCG									–

Note: EDE-Q: Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire, PFRS: Photographic Figure Rating Scale, BDI: Beck Depression Inventory, BMI: Body Mass Index.

*p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001.

Table 4. Hierarchical linear regression model when Eating Disorders Group and Healthy Control Group after controlling for group differences, with Eating Disorders Exemination Questionnaire total score as the dependent variable.

	ΔR²	F	Βeta	t	%95 CI
Total	0.49
Control variables (EDG-HCG)	.142	24.416**	−.276	−3.967	−1,153–.386
Body dissatisfaction	.275	52.437**	.355	4.640**	.005–.012
Body image distortion	.000	34.724	.029	0.446	−.006–.010
Depression	.060	33.014**	.301	4.337**	.027–.071
Body Mass Index	.015	27.803*	.148	2.029*	.001–.089

Note: Ps: Standardized ß coefficients in the table were obtained from the last step of the analysis.

*p < .05, **p < .001.