Eating Disorder Symptoms and Concerns About Body Differ as a Function of Gender and Sexual Orientation

Abstract

This investigation studied eating disorder symptoms and psychosocial correlates of eating disorders among heterosexual females, lesbians, heterosexual males, and gay males. The dependent variables of the study measured: depression, concern for physical appearance, personal evaluation of physical appearance, perceived sociocultural pressure for thinness, media influences promoting thinness, and overconcern with body size/shape. A sample of 41 2 young adults was studied, including 97 heterosexual males, 116 heterosexual females, 110 gay males, and 89 lesbians. Heterosexual females were found to report the highest level of eating disorder symptoms and concern with body size/shape. Heterosexual males reported the lowest level of eating disorder symptoms and concern with body size/shape, with gay males and lesbians falling between these two groups. Lesbians reported the least concern for physical appearance. Of the variables which were studied, overconcern with body size/shape was the strongest psychosocial correlate of eating disorder symptoms in heterosexual females, gay males, and lesbians. We concluded that eating disorder symptoms and concerns about body size were similar for heterosexual females, gay males, and lesbians, but were quite different for heterosexual males.