Cigarette smoking is associated with body shape concerns and bulimia symptoms among young adult females.
Elevated rates of cigarette smoking have been reported among individuals with Bulimia Nervosa. However, little is known about eating disorder symptoms within non-clinical samples of smokers. The purpose of the present study was to compare the eating disorder symptoms of young adult female smokers (n=184) and non-smokers (n=56), to determine whether smokers were more likely to endorse bulimic symptoms and report greater body shape concern than non-smokers. Analyses indicated that smokers scored significantly higher than non-smokers on the Body Shape Questionnaire, p=.03, and the Bulimia Test-Revised, p=.006. In addition, a higher proportion of smokers than non-smokers scored > or = 85 on the Bulimia Test-Revised, p=.05, suggesting the possibility that Bulimia Nervosa diagnoses were more prevalent among smokers. No differences were found between smokers and non-smokers on other measures of eating behavior. Overall, findings suggest that smoking is specifically associated with symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa and body shape concern among young adult females.
Kendzor
Darla E
DE
Louisiana State University, Department of Psychology, 236 Audubon Hall, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, United States. dkendzor@mdanderson.org
Adams
Claire E
CE
Stewart
Diana W
DW
Baillie
Lauren E
LE
Copeland
Amy L
AL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001828:Body Image; D002032:Bulimia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008145:Louisiana / Q000453:epidemiology; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult