Body checking and avoidance in women: associations with mental and physical health-related quality of life

Body checking and body avoidance have demonstrated clinical significance in a number of populations. However, the associations between these behaviors and mental and physical health-related quality of life have not been examined. This study investigated the associations between body checking and avoidance and quality of life in 214 community women. Body checking and body avoidance were significantly correlated with mental and physical quality of life, as well as with eating disturbances. Frequency of body checking significantly predicted impairment in mental quality of life, and frequency of body avoidance significantly predicted impairment in physical quality of life, over and above the contributions of depressive symptoms and related demographic characteristics. Targeting checking and avoidance in prevention and treatment programs may improve quality of life and reduce health-related functional impairment

Quality of life impairment and the attitudinal and behavioral features of eating disorders

We examined the relative contribution of different forms of eating disorder (ED) pathology to impairment in mental and physical health-related quality of life (QOL) in women with a wide range of ED symptoms. Female participants from an outpatient ED clinic (n = 53) and the local community (n = 214) completed measures of ED features and mental and physical health-related QOL. Across the sample, ED features were significantly associated with most mental and physical domains of QOL. In multiple regression analyses controlling for age and body mass index, ED features significantly predicted impairment in mental and physical QOL. Extreme shape and weight concern significantly and independently predicted most QOL subscales (β range = 0.19-0.44). The prominent contribution of shape and weight concern to both mental and physical QOL impairment underlines the importance of addressing body dissatisfaction in the treatment and prevention of EDs.6 page(s