Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa (AN) became prevalent in Western societies by the late 1960s (Polivy & Herman,á2002). Females from middle- and upper-class families were literally starving themselves to death. By the next decade bulimia nervosa (BN) had been recognized as a disorder (Polivy & Herman,á2002). AN patients are characterized by a refusal to eat or eat much. BN patients engage in binge eating and purging (Polivy, 2002). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (fourth edition) criteria for AN includes a body weight at a level less than 85% of normal weight for age and height, intense fear of fatness, and disturbed experience of body weight or shape. Criteria for BN include recurrent episodes of both binge eating and compensatory behaviors such as purging, fasting, or exercising to prevent weight gain (Polivy, 2002).
Polivy (2002) reported that the incidence of both disorders has increased over the last 50 years, with prevalence rates estimated to range from 3% to 10% of at-risk females between ages 15 and 29 years. BN patients outnumber AN patients by two to one. Polivy and Herman (2002) stated that while anorexia and bulimia are a current focus of researchers, a clear understanding of the causes of the disorders, factors predicting the development of the disorders, and methods to prevent and treat the disorders are lacking. This research explores the relationship between maladaptive eating and body satisfaction, self-esteem, and sexual satisfaction to determine what factors predict the development of an eating disorder.
The problem is that women continue to engage in dieting behaviors, maladaptive eating, and compensatory behaviors. Body satisfaction, self-esteem, and sexuality are related to the eating problems (Thoresen, 2003; Vohs, Voelz, Pettit, & Bardone, 2001). While these factors appear to be linked, the predictive ability of each for the development of eating disorders...