Disordered eating behaviour is associated with blunted cortisol and cardiovascular reactions to acute psychological stress

Research suggests a potential dysregulation of the stress response in individuals with bulimia nervosa. This study measured both cardiovascular and cortisol reactions to a standardised laboratory stress task in individuals identified as showing disordered eating behaviour to determine whether dysregulation of the stress response is characteristic of the two branches of the stress response system. Female students (N = 455) were screened using two validated eating disorder questionnaires. Twelve women with disordered eating, including self-induced vomiting, and 12 healthy controls were selected for laboratory stress testing. Salivary cortisol and cardiovascular activity, via Doppler imaging and semi-automatic blood pressure monitoring, were measured at resting baseline and during and after exposure to a 10-min mental arithmetic stress task. Compared to controls the disordered eating group showed blunted cortisol, cardiac output, heart rate, and stroke volume reactions to the acute stress, as well as an attenuated vasodilatory reaction. These effects could not be accounted for in terms of group differences in stress task performance, subjective task impact/engagement, age, BMI, neuroticism, cardiorespiratory fitness, or co-morbid exercise dependence. Our findings suggest that disordered eating is characterised by a dysregulation of the autonomic stress-response system. As such, they add further weight to the general contention that blunted stress reactivity is characteristic of a number of maladaptive behaviours and states

Body Image Changes During Early Adulthood

Results from recent studies on body image have revealed differences between college‐age individuals and older samples. In this study, adults 17 to 40 years old were evaluated for their body dissatisfaction on the Figure Rating Scale. Females had higher levels of body dissatisfaction than males and these differences did not diminish with age. However, consistent with physical changes in adulthood, current and ideal ratings became more discrepant with age. Interestingly, for women, affective and cognitive dimensions of body dissatisfaction became more consistent. Research on early adulthood personality development is used to help explain these results

Psychological stress, coping, and symptoms of disordered eating in a community sample of young Australian women

Objective: To investigate the relationships among stress, coping, and symptoms of disordered eating in a community sample of young Australian women, Method: A longitudinal study design was employed. Two mail-out surveys, assessing perceived psychological stress, coping strategies, body weight dissatisfaction, dieting, and disordered eating behaviors, were completed 6 months apart by 415 young women selected from a cohort of the Women's Health Australia Study, Results: Strong cross-sectional relationships among the study variables were found. Results of longitudinal analyses, however, demonstrated only tenuous relationships among stress, coping, and later symptoms of disordered eating. Discussion: These results did not support the hypothesis that stress and coping strategies would predict disordered eating over time. Some evidence was found for a modest reverse relationship between stress and disordered eating. Although contrary to generally accepted theoretical models of disordered eating, these findings are consistent with those of the few previous longitudinal studies reported. Theoretical implications are discussed. (C) 2002 by John Wiley Sons, Inc