Publications internationales Body checking and avoidance and the core features of eating disorders among obese men and women seeking bariatric surgery

Body checking and avoidance and the core features of eating disorders among obese men and women seeking bariatric surgery

Carlos M. Grilo, Deborah L. Reas, Michelle L. Brody, Carolyn H. Burke-Martindale, Bruce S. Rothschild and Robin M. Masheb

Revue : Behaviour Research and Therapy

Received 1 January 2004; revised 11 May 2004; accepted 12 May 2004. Available online 20 July 2004.


This study examined two aspects of body checking and avoidance, and their relations to the core psychopathology of eating disorders (EDs), in severely obese men and women seeking bariatric surgery. A consecutive series of 260 (44 male and 216 female) gastric bypass candidates were administered measures to assess body checking and avoidance, binge eating, restraint, and overevaluation of weight and shape. The majority of patients reported regularly pinching areas of their body to check for fatness and avoided wearing clothing that made them particularly aware of their body. Significant associations were observed between checking and restraint, and between avoidance and binge eating. Both checking and avoidance behaviors were significantly associated with overevaluation of weight and shape. The positive associations between each of the two behaviors (body checking and avoidance) with overevaluation of weight/shape remained significant even after controlling for the effects of avoidance on body checking and vice versa. Stepwise multiple regression analyses revealed that binge eating, body checking, and avoidance behaviors made significant unique contributions and jointly accounted for 22?25% of the variance in overevaluation of weight and shape, respectively. This study documents the presence of eating disorder psychopathology among severely obese patients seeking bariatric surgery. The findings support the view that body checking and avoidance behaviors are manifestations of overevaluation of weight and shape and disordered eating.

Keywords: Eating disorders; Body checking; Body avoidance; Body image; Binge eating; Obesity


Grant Sponsor: National Institutes of Health (DK 49587) and the Donaghue Medical Research Foundation.
Corresponding author. Tel.: +1-203-785-2792; fax: +1-203-785-7855.

Behaviour Research and Therapy - Volume 43, Issue 5, Pages 629-637 (May 2005)

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