Physical Appearance Anxiety and Eating Disorders Symptomatology: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Manuel Alcaraz-Ibáñez, Adrian Paterna, Almudena F Diaz-Carrasco et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the association between physical appearance anxiety (PAA) and eating disorder (ED) symptomatology. Searches of six databases identified 21 studies, contributing 27 effect sizes and 5261 participants. Using random-effects models, the authors found a strong association between PAA and ED symptoms (r = 0.559). The association was stronger among females than males and for overall ED symptoms than for bulimic symptoms. The authors call for further research into whether addressing anxiety about personal body traits could contribute to ED prevention or treatment.
Key findings
- Across 21 studies and 5261 participants, PAA was strongly associated with ED symptomatology (r = 0.559).
- The association was stronger among females than males.
- The association was stronger for overall ED symptoms than for bulimic symptoms.
Why it matters
The findings identify appearance-related anxiety as a correlate of ED symptom burden across the included literature, with a stronger association reported among females. This may help inform research into psychological factors relevant to ED prevention and treatment, while the meta-analysis does not establish that PAA causes symptoms or that reducing it improves outcomes.