Body size overestimation and its association with body mass index, body dissatisfaction, and drive for thinness in anorexia nervosa.

BACKGROUND

Body size overestimation is a fundamental feature in anorexia nervosa (AN). There have been inconclusive findings about the extent to which this feature distinguishes psychopathology and some authors have argued that overestimation may be a function of lower body mass index (BMI).

METHODS

We examine body size estimation accuracy and body dissatisfaction in 74 females with AN and 11 age-matched female controls using two well-established psychophysical procedures.

RESULTS

Participants with AN overestimated their body size more and had greater body dissatisfaction than controls. Size accuracy was found to be independent of BMI and correlated with body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness in participants with AN.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that overestimation of body size in AN is related to the psychopathology associated with the disorder and is not due to any perceptual tendency for people with lower BMI to overestimate their body size. We discuss the implications of these findings for treatment of AN.