ABSTRACT

‘Feeling fat’ has received little empirical attention despite clinical recognition as an eating disorder maintenance factor. This experience also occurs in non-clinical populations and may relate to elements of subclinical eating pathology. The present study examined whether ‘feeling fat’ independently contributes to eating pathology and eating pathology-related impairment, over and above over-evaluation of weight and shape and dysphoria. University students (N = 990; 54.3% female) completed questionnaires measuring these constructs. Moderated multiple hierarchical regression analyses evaluated ‘feeling fat’'s unique contribution to eating pathology and impairment, and the moderating effects of gender and eating disorder symptom severity. ‘Feeling fat’ accounted for significant unique variance in eating pathology, but not eating pathology-related impairment, over and above over-evaluation of weight and shape and dysphoria. The relationship between ‘feeling fat’ and eating pathology-related impairment was stronger in women than in men. Symptom severity did not moderate the relationship between ‘feeling fat’ and either dependent variable. ‘Feeling fat’ distinctly relates to eating pathology in a sample of young adults, suggesting that ‘feeling fat’ deserves attention in individuals without eating disorders. Future research should longitudinally investigate the direction of the relationship between ‘feeling fat’ and eating pathology and examine mechanisms of gender differences in ‘feeling fat.’

摘要

尽管临床上认为“感觉肥胖”是一种饮食失调的维持因素，但很少受到实证关注。这种经历也发生在非临床人群中，可能与亚临床饮食病理学的要素有关。本研究检查了“感觉肥胖”是否独立地导致饮食病理学和饮食病理学相关的损害，超越对体重和体型的过度评估以及烦躁不安。大学生（N= 990; 54.3% 的女性）完成了测量这些结构的问卷。适度多元层次回归分析评估了“感觉肥胖”对饮食病理和损害的独特贡献，以及性别和饮食失调症状严重程度的调节作用。“感觉肥胖”是饮食病理学的显着独特差异，但与饮食病理学相关的损害、体重和体型的过度评估以及烦躁不安无关。“感觉肥胖”与饮食病理相关损害之间的关系在女性中比男性更强。症状严重程度并没有缓和“感觉肥胖”与任一因变量之间的关系。“感觉肥胖”明显与年轻人样本中的饮食病理有关，表明“感觉肥胖”在没有饮食失调的个体中值得关注。未来的研究应纵向研究“感觉肥胖”与饮食病理之间的关系方向，并检查“感觉肥胖”的性别差异机制。