Body dysmorphic disorder and nonweight‐related body image concerns in individuals with eating disorders

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Research on the prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) in individuals with eating disorders (EDs) is scarce. Nonweight-related appearance concerns, which can be considered as variants of BDD concerns, have also rarely been examined in EDs. This study therefore investigates BDD prevalence and nonweight-related appearance concerns in EDs. METHOD: One hundred individuals with EDs (49 inpatients with anorexia nervosa, 51 inpatients with bulimia nervosa) completed structured diagnostic interviews and self-report questionnaires. RESULTS: Twelve individuals with EDs (12.0%) suffered from comorbid BDD, with their body dysmorphic concerns being unrelated to weight and shape. BDD lifetime-prevalence was 15.0%. There was a high prevalence of dissatisfaction with nonweight-related body features such as skin, hair, teeth, nose, and height (20.8 to 53.5%). DISCUSSION: Findings indicate that BDD is a frequent comorbid disorder in individuals with EDs. Furthermore, along with weight and body shape, nonweight-related appearance concerns are also common in individuals with EDs.