title: Parental Bonding and Body Mass Index in a Female Community Sample: The Mediating Role of Eating Disorder Thoughts and Core Beliefs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is likely that disrupted early parent-child relationships, eating disorder related cognitions and negative self-beliefs are relevant to some women who are overweight/obese.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study tested the hypotheses that disrupted parent-child relationships would be linked to higher body mass index (BMI) and that this relationship would then be mediated by cognition.
  
  
  METHODS
  A group of women were recruited from the community and completed measures of eating disorder (ED) thoughts, negative self-beliefs, and parental bonding. Individual body mass indices (BMIs) were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and eighteen women completed the study. There was a relationship between parental bonding and higher BMI. As hypothesized, the relationship between parental bonding (as measured by maternal care, and paternal overprotection) and BMI appeared to be mediated by a range of ED thoughts, and some negative self-beliefs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The cognitions measured here, both ED related cognitions and negative self-beliefs, may be a useful target when considering psychological treatment for women who are overweight or obese.
authors.affiliation: University of Oxford,UK.
authors.forename: Myra J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.affiliation: St Mary's Hospital,Kettering,UK.
authors.forename: Eliane
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003071:Cognition; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods; D003469:Culture; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology*; D009769:Object Attachment; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013850:Thinking
keywords: Body Mass Index; cognition; overweight/obesity; parental bonding; schema