Abstract
Fear and anxiety about aging have increased amongst female university students and these personal aging concerns are associated with disturbed eating, also prevalent in this group. Evidence suggests concern about aging appearance could account for the link between aging anxiety and problem eating in young women due to their belief in the thin – youth ideal. However, whether appearance concern is the strongest aging anxiety predictor of global and specific disturbed eating behaviors is unclear. The study examines this in a sample of female students at a Midlands university in the United Kingdom (N = 200, 18 – 39 years) who completed the Anxiety about Aging Scale and the Eating Disorders Inventory-3. The findings show general and a model of four aging anxieties predicted significantly greater global disturbed eating with medium and large effects sizes respectively. However, greater anxiety about the psychological challenges and interpersonal losses associated with aging best predicted global and specific disturbed eating behaviors and aging appearance concern was a weaker predictor. Implications for interventions targeting female students eating behavior are considered.
Highlights
Fear and anxiety about aging have increased amongst female university students and these personal aging concerns are associated with disturbed eating, prevalent in this group
The results show a significant effect of aging concern, F(2.78, 554.7) = 51.5, p < .001 and Bonferroni post hoc analysis shows scores on all about Aging Scale (AAS) subscales significantly differed from one another except fear of losses compared to appearance concern
The results are broadly consistent with research showing their aging appearance concerns and maturity fears are high (Brunton & Scott, 2015; Gendron & Lydecker, 2016; Smith et al, 2017)
Summary
Fear and anxiety about aging have increased amongst female university students and these personal aging concerns are associated with disturbed eating, prevalent in this group. Women in general with negative attitudes to aging report greater global DE, body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness (Barrett & Robbins, 2008; Becker, Diedrichs, Jankowski, & Werchan, 2013; Gendron & Lydecker, 2016; Robert-McComb & Massey-Stokes, 2014; Runfola et al, 2014) This is consistent with evidence that aging and DE have common appearance based determinants (Keel & Forney, 2013; Stice, Ng, & Shaw, 2010). Aging research often neglects the consequences of young adults concerns about aging for their health (Smith et al, 2017; Wohlmann, 2012)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
