The role of body weight in college students’ perceptions of anorexia nervosa and atypical anorexia nervosa

Abstract

Objective: The present experimental study assessed college students’ ability to recognize an eating disorder across various body weights. Participants: Undergraduate students (N = 428) from a midsized public university. Methods: Participants completed an online questionnaire and were randomized to read one of four vignettes describing a woman with anorexia nervosa symptoms who was underweight, average weight, overweight, or obese. Participants completed a survey to assess body image, eating concerns, and ability to recognize an eating disorder. Results: Results showed participants in the underweight condition were significantly more likely to correctly identify an eating disorder (adjusted residual = 2.5) and showed fewer incorrect identifications than would be expected (adjusted residual = −2.5). In the underweight condition, 83.78% correctly recognized an eating disorder, followed by average weight (76.84%), obesity (69.16%), and overweight (68.89%). Conclusions: College students may have a harder time recognizing an eating disorder in someone with a higher body weight.