PubMed ID:
9735582
Public Release Type:
Journal
Publication Year: 1998
Affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia 19104-2648, USA. dsarwer@mail.med.upenn.edu
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-006x.66.4.651
Authors:
Foster GD,
Sarwer DB,
Wadden TA
Studies:
Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery
This study assessed the specificity, severity, and clinical significance of body image dissatisfaction in 79 obese women using the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Examination--Self-Report (J. C. Rosen & J. Reiter, 1996). The vast majority of obese women demonstrated body image dissatisfaction related to their obesity, with almost half reporting the greatest dissatisfaction with their waist or abdomen. On average, they reported significantly more body image dissatisfaction than did 43 nonobese controls. The 2 groups did not differ on self-reported symptoms of depression or self-esteem. Body image dissatisfaction correlated significantly with reports of depressive symptoms and lower self-esteem but was not correlated with body mass index. Results are discussed in terms of the role of body image dissatisfaction in understanding and treating obese individuals.