title: Understanding disordered eating at midlife and late life.
abstract: Current knowledge regarding disordered eating beyond the period of emerging adulthood is limited. Guided by a life-span approach, the present study examined a model of disordered eating that used age, gender, body mass index (BMI), eating-related cognitions, and dissatisfaction with appearance as predictors of disordered eating. Participants were 125 adults in 4 age groups who completed measures. With the exception of BMI (i.e., men and middle-aged adults higher), no mean group differences emerged. No other mean age differences emerged. The authors tested the relations among model constructs using a path analysis. Results indicated that age exerted direct effects on disordered eating. The authors discuss results in terms of life-span development and the need to target understudied groups in research and clinical work.
authors.affiliation: West Virginia University, Department of Psychology, 53 Campus Dr, Morgantown, WV 26506-6040, USA. julie.patrick@mail.wvu.edu
authors.forename: Julie Hicks
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Patrick
authors.forename: Sarah T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Stahl
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003469:Culture; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult