scholarly journals The Causal Influence of Life Meaning on Weight and Shape Concerns in Women at Risk for Developing an Eating Disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanne F. W. van Doornik ◽  
Klaske A. Glashouwer ◽  
Brian D. Ostafin ◽  
Peter J. de Jong
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Color Naming ◽  
Life Goals ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Life Meaning ◽  
Causal Influence ◽  
Eating Disorder Symptoms ◽  
Weight And Shape Concerns ◽  
The Impact

Background: Although previous studies have shown an inverse relation between life meaning and eating disorder symptoms, the correlational nature of this evidence precludes causal inferences. Therefore, this study used an experimental approach to test the causal impact of life meaning on individuals' weight and shape concerns.Methods: Female students at risk for developing an eating disorder (N = 128) were randomly assigned to the control or the meaning condition, which involved thinking about and committing to pursue intrinsically valued life goals. A color-naming interference task was used to assess the motivational salience of body-related stimuli, and self-report measures were used to assess participants' overvaluation of weight and shape.Results: The meaning manipulation was effective in activating intrinsically valued life goals. However, it did not result in lower self-reported overvaluation of weight and shape or lower color-naming interference effects of body-related stimuli, compared to the control condition. Post-hoc analyses suggested that baseline meaning in life was related to the impact of the manipulation.Conclusions: This experimental study did not provide evidence for a causal influence of life meaning on the overvaluation of weight and shape in a high-risk group. The current findings suggest that we first need to examine the relationship between life meaning and eating disorder symptoms in more detail, before implementing brief meaning manipulations in clinical practice.

scholarly journals Ultra-processed foods and binge eating: A retrospective observational study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agnes Ayton ◽  
Ali Ibrahim ◽  
James Dugan ◽  
Eimar Galvin ◽  
Oliver Wroe-Wright
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Observational Study ◽  
Binge Eating ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Retrospective Observational Study ◽  
Processed Foods ◽  
Eating Behaviours ◽  
Male Patients ◽  
The Impact

OBJECTIVEThere is increasing evidence of the impact of ultra-processed foods on multiple metabolic and neurobiological pathways, including those involved in eating behaviours, both in animals and in humans. In this pilot study, we aimed to explore ultra-processed foods and their link with disordered eating in a clinical sample. METHODSThis was a single site, retrospective observational study in a specialist eating disorder service using self report on the electronic health records. Patients with a DSM-5 diagnosis of anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN) or binge eating disorder (BED) were randomly selected from the service database in Oxford from 2017 to 2019. The recently introduced NOVA classification was used to determine the degree of industrial food processing in each patient’s diet. Frequencies of ultra-processed foods were analysed for each diagnosis, at each mealtime and during episodes of bingeing.RESULTS71 female and 3 male patients were included in the study. 22 had AN, 25 BN and 26 had BED. Patients with AN reported consuming 55% NOVA-4 foods, as opposed to approximately 70% in BN and BED. Binge foods were 100% ultra-processed.DISCUSSIONFurther research into the metabolic and neurobiological effects of reducing ultra-processed food intake on bingeing behaviour is needed.

Group-Delivered Enhanced Cognitive Behavior Therapy: A Focus on a Young Adult Woman With Bulimia Nervosa

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-77
Author(s):  
Ashlea L. Hambleton ◽  
Tanya L. Hanstock ◽  
Rachel Simeone ◽  
Michelle Sperling
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Young Adult ◽  
Bulimia Nervosa ◽  
Group Intervention ◽  
Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Stage Of Change ◽  
Eating Disorder Symptoms ◽  
Weight And Shape Concerns ◽  
Clinical Impairment ◽  
Australian Community

Enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT-E) is an evidence-based treatment for bulimia nervosa (BN), which can be delivered individually or in a group format. This case study describes a young adult female’s progress through a CBT-E group program at an Australian community outpatient eating disorder service. She completed 20 sessions over 10 weeks. The client was administered measures for eating disorder symptoms, depression, anxiety, stress, stage of change, and clinical impairment at pre- and posttreatment. She improved on global eating disorder symptoms, food restriction, eating concern, and her stage of change. Her weight and shape concerns remained unchanged. Her levels of depression, anxiety, and stress significantly increased after treatment, highlighting the need for concurrent treatment for these comorbidities. These results support the developing literature on the efficacy of CBT-E for BN and describe in detail the progress of an individual, including their progress and challenges within a group intervention.

Eating disturbances in girls with diabetes: the contribution of adolescent self-concept, maternal weight and shape concerns and mother–daughter relationships

2003 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 525-539 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. I. MAHARAJ ◽  
G. M. RODIN ◽  
M. P. OLMSTED ◽  
J. A. CONNOLLY ◽  
D. DANEMAN
Keyword(s):  
Weight Control ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Self Concept ◽  
High Risk Population ◽  
Eating Disturbances ◽  
Coding System ◽  
Maternal Weight ◽  
Relative Contribution ◽  
Weight And Shape Concerns ◽  
The Impact

Background. This study examined the relative contribution of adolescent self-concept, maternal weight and shape concerns (WSC), and mother–daughter relationships to eating disturbances among girls with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM).Method. Eighty-eight adolescent girls (mean=15·0 years, s.d.=2·2) and their mothers completed self-report measures of disordered eating and weight control behaviours, with teens also reporting on disturbed eating and body attitudes. Based on reported symptoms, adolescents were classified as highly (N=18), mildly (N=30) and non-eating disturbed (N=40). Self-concept was assessed by adolescent self-report. Mother–daughter relationships were assessed by adolescent self-report and by observed mother–daughter interactions that were rated using a macroanalytic coding system that assesses intimacy and autonomy in these relationships.Results. Hierarchical regressions illustrated that adolescent self-concept deficits, maternal WSC, and impaired mother–daughter relationships significantly predicted eating disturbances in girls with DM, accounting for 57% of the variance. Mothers who engaged in dieting and binge-eating were more impaired in their ability to support their daughters' emerging autonomy. The quality of mother–daughter relationships partly mediated the influence of maternal WSC on adolescent eating disturbances. Moreover, the impact of maternal WSC and mother–daughter relationships on eating disturbances was mediated by adolescent self-concept.Conclusions. Findings illustrate two pathways through which mother–daughter relationships may impact upon risk of eating disturbances in girls with DM and highlight the need to evaluate family-based interventions specifically tailored for this high-risk population.

Shame traumatic memories and body image shame in Binge Eating Disorder: Can memories of warmth and safeness buffer this link?

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S549-S549
Author(s):  
C. Duarte ◽  
J. Pinto-Gouveia
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Binge Eating ◽  
Binge Eating Disorder ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Childhood And Adolescence ◽  
Moderator Effect ◽  
Traumatic Memories ◽  
Emotional Memories ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionGrowing research show that body image-related shame plays a particularly important role in the vulnerability to and persistence of Binge eating symptoms. Also, shame experiences from childhood and adolescence were found to function as traumatic memories and are significantly associated with eating psychopathology. Nonetheless, little is known about the effect of shame traumatic memories in Binge Eating Disorder (BED), and whether early positive emotional memories of warmth and safeness may buffer against the impact of shame memories on body image shame.AimsThis study examined the moderator effect of positive emotional memories on the association between shame traumatic memories and current body image shame in women diagnosed with BED.MethodsParticipants (N = 109) were assessed through the eating disorder examination and the shame experiences interview, and answered to self-report measures assessing the traumatic features of a key shame memory, positive emotional memories s and body image shame.ResultsBody image-related experiences were most frequently recalled as significant shame memories. Positive emotional memories were negatively associated with shame traumatic memories and body image shame, and had a significant moderator effect on the association between shame traumatic memories and current body image shame.ConclusionsThis study was the first to demonstrate that early shame experiences may contribute for BED patients’ shame based on their body image. Data suggest that the access to memories of early feelings of affiliation and safeness may be key to tone down negative affect. These findings have important implications for the conceptualization and treatment of BED.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Emotion regulation difficulties in anorexia nervosa: associations with improvements in eating psychopathology

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marsha Rowsell ◽  
Danielle E. MacDonald ◽  
Jacqueline C. Carter
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Intensive Treatment ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Eating Psychopathology ◽  
Eating Disorder Symptoms ◽  
Core Deficit ◽  
Eating Disorder Psychopathology ◽  
Regulation Strategies

Background Difficulties with emotion regulation have been established as a core deficit in anorexia nervosa (AN). However, limited research has evaluated whether weight gain is associated with improvements in emotion regulation difficulties in AN and whether improvements in emotion regulation are associated with reductions in eating disorder psychopathology. The aims of this study were threefold: 1) to examine the nature and extent of emotion regulation difficulties in AN; 2) to determine whether these difficulties improved during intensive treatment for the eating disorder; and 3) to study whether improvements in emotion regulation were associated with improvements in eating disorder psychopathology. Method The participants were 108 patients who met DSM-IV-TR criteria for AN and were admitted to a specialized intensive treatment program. Self-report measures of eating disorder symptoms and difficulties with emotion regulation were administered at admission to and discharge from the program. Results Patients with the binge-purge subtype of AN reported greater difficulties with impulse control when upset and more limited access to emotion regulation strategies when experiencing negative emotions than those with the restricting subtype. Among those who completed treatment and became weight restored, improvements in emotion regulation difficulties were observed. Greater pre-to-post treatment improvements in emotional clarity and engagement in goal directed behaviours when upset were associated with greater reductions in eating disorder psychopathology during treatment. Conclusions These findings add to growing evidence suggesting that eating disorder symptoms may be related to emotion regulation difficulties in AN and that integrating strategies to address emotion regulation deficits may be important to improving treatment outcome in AN.

scholarly journals Revisiting the Postulates of Etiological Models of Eating Disorders: Questioning Body Checking as a Longer-Term Maintaining Factor

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Opladen ◽  
Maj-Britt Vivell ◽  
Silja Vocks ◽  
Andrea S. Hartmann
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
Negative Emotion ◽  
Body Checking ◽  
Eating Disorder Symptoms ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
General Pathology ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Impact

Body checking (BC) is not only inherent to the maintenance of eating disorders but is also widespread among healthy females. According to etiological models, while BC serves as an affect-regulating behavior in the short term, in the longer term it is assumed to be disorder-maintaining and also produces more negative affect. The present study therefore aimed to empirically examine the proposed longer-term consequences of increased BC. In an online study, N = 167 women tracked their daily amount of BC over a total of 7 days: Following a 1-day baseline assessment of typical BC, participants were asked to check their bodies in an typical manner for 3 days and with a 3-fold increased frequency for 3-days. Before and after each BC episode, the impact of BC on affect, eating disorder symptoms, general pathology and endorsement of different functions of BC was assessed. Participants showed longer-term consequences of increased BC in terms of increased negative affect and general pathology, while eating disorder symptoms remained unaffected. In the case of typical BC, participants showed decreased general pathology and anxiety. Furthermore, the endorsement of a higher number of BC functions led to increased negative affect and an increased amount of typical BC. The findings support the theoretically assumed role of maladaptive BC in maintaining negative emotion in the longer term. However, though requiring replication, our finding of positive effects of typical BC calls into question the overall dysfunctionality of BC among non-clinical women who are not at risk of developing an eating disorder.

scholarly journals Impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on a cohort of eating disorders patients

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulo P. P. Machado ◽  
Ana Pinto-Bastos ◽  
Rita Ramos ◽  
Tânia F. Rodrigues ◽  
Elsa Louro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Specialized Hospital ◽  
Impact Scale ◽  
Difficulties In Emotion Regulation ◽  
Clinical Impairment ◽  
Current Survey ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Lockdown implemented to prevent the COVID-19 spread resulted in marked changes in the lifestyle. The objective of the current study was to assess the impact of lockdown measures on a cohort of eating disorder (ED) patients being followed as part of an ongoing naturalistic treatment study. Methods Ninety-nine patients aged 18 or older, currently or previously, in treatment at a Portuguese specialized hospital unit were contacted by phone and invited to participate in the current survey. Fifty-nine agreed to be interviewed by phone, and 43 agreed to respond to a set of self-report measures of ED symptoms, emotion regulation difficulties, clinical impairment, negative urgency, and COVID-19 impact, during the week after the end of the lockdown period. Results Data showed that of the 26 patients currently in treatment: 8 remained unchanged (31%), 7 deteriorated (27%), and 11 reliably improved (42%). Of the 17 participants not currently in treatment: 3 deteriorated (18%), 9 remained unchanged (53%), and 5 (29%) improved after the lockdown period. The Coronavirus Impact Scale showed that most patients considered their routines moderately or extremely impacted, experienced stress related to coronavirus, and showed difficulty in maintaining physical exercise and feeding routines. Results suggest that higher impact of COVID-19 lockdown was significantly correlated with eating disorder symptoms and associated psychopathology, impulsivity, difficulties in emotion regulation and clinical impairment measured at post-lockdown. In addition, the impact of COVID-19 and lockdown measures on clinical impairment was mediated by difficulties in emotion regulation. Conclusions Findings suggest that some ED patients may experience worsening of their condition, especially if associated with difficulties in emotion regulation, and these difficulties might be exacerbated in the context of a stressful crisis and lockdown measures, highlighting the need for intervention strategies to mitigate its negative impact.

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