Weight suppression (WS) is consistently, positively associated with eating disorder (ED) symptoms, but variables that contribute to these associations remain understudied. The current study examined weight-bias internalization as a potential contributor to the link between weight suppression (WS) and disordered eating in an undergraduate sample. Men (n = 285) and women (n = 610) completed assessments of weight history, weight-bias internalization, and ED symptoms. Absolute (difference in highest and current BMI) and relative WS (%BMI change) were calculated. Hierarchical linear and count regression models examined whether WS contributed to ED symptoms (restraint, objective binge episodes [OBEs], loss-of-control [LOC] eating, and compensatory exercise) above and beyond weight-bias internalization. Analyses were conducted by gender. After accounting for weight-bias internalization, WS demonstrated unique associations with restraint in men (p = .01) and women (p < .001), and LOC eating frequency in men (p = .02), though effects were weaker relative to weight-bias internalization. Although WS was positively correlated with frequency of OBEs in men and LOC eating in women, these associations were no longer significant when accounting for weight-bias internalization. Weight-bias internalization was positively associated with all measured ED symptoms. Consistent with previous work, gender differences in the relations of WS and ED symptoms emerged. Results suggest weight-bias internalization might contribute to links between WS and ED symptoms, particularly binge behaviors, in non-clinical samples. Future research should explore whether decreasing weight-bias internalization could weaken the association between WS and ED symptoms.

Eating behaviors

101392

https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1471-0153(20)30032-5

Eat Behav