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Aging‐related concerns and body image: Possible future implications for eating disorders
Author(s) -
Guptaxy Madhulika A.,
Schork Nicholas J.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/1098-108x(199312)14:4<481::aid-eat2260140411>3.0.co;2-g
Subject(s) - eating disorders , pearson product moment correlation coefficient , psychology , body mass index , correlation , human physical appearance , clinical psychology , demography , developmental psychology , gerontology , medicine , statistics , geometry , mathematics , sociology
We observed a direct correlation between aging‐related concerns about the appearance and Drive for Thinness (Eating Disorders Inventory [EDI]), among males (n = 71) (Pearson r =.36, p <.01) and females (n = 102) (Pearson r =.44, p <.01) from a nonclinical sample of shoppers. Among the women there was a direct correlation between the belief that weight loss is associated with youthful looks and both Drive for Thinness (EDI) (Pearson r =.44, p <.01) and Body Dissatisfaction (EDI) (Pearson r =.27, p <.01). Concerns about the cutaneous stigmata of aging, a commonly recognized sign that a person is older, correlated directly with Drive for Thinness (Pearson r =.27, p <.01) and Body Dissatisfaction (Pearson r =.38, p <.01) among the women. These correlations were all obtained after statistically controlling for the effects of age and body mass index. Our empirical observations may have important future implications in the development of eating disorders, as our society continues to place an inordinate value on youthful looks. © 1993 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.