Abstract
A characteristic of eating disordered people and restrained eaters is that they are dissatisfied with their body. The common theory is that they have an incorrect view of themselves, a so-called body image disturbance. In the present study, digital photos were taken of 152 female students, wearing a tight sport outfit. Afterwards, each photo was stretched and compressed in the horizontal direction. The participant had to adjust these two distorted photos, first into the perceived real body size and next into their ideal body size. The differences with the original photo were calculated. Results showed that restrained eaters estimated their body as broader than unrestrained eaters, but this difference was mainly caused by the unrestrained eaters who significantly underestimated their body size. Restrained eaters had a smaller ideal body size than unrestrained eaters and consequently, the difference between ideal and perceived body size was larger in restrained eaters than in unrestrained eaters. In conclusion, unrestrained eaters are more realistic in their ideals and over-optimistic in their perceived body size: they see themselves through rose-coloured glasses. Restrained eaters perceive themselves more realistic but foster unrealistic slender illusions.
Published Version
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