RT journal article
T1 Body Dissatisfaction and Eating Disorder Risk Indicators in Older Women: Associations with Medically Supervised Dietary Treatment
A1 Marruffi Bonfante, Patrizia Carmen
A1 Rosety Rodríguez, Manuel
A1 Bable-Marruffi, Alberto
A1 Cordero Choquet de Isla, Javier
A1 Riscart López, Javier
A2 Didáctica de la Educación FísicaPlástica y Musical
A2 Medicina
K1 dietary treatment
K1 disordered eating behaviors
K1 mental health
K1 older woman
K1 women’s health
K1 menopause
K1 mental health
AB Body dissatisfaction and eating disorder (ED) risk indicators can persist into later life but are less frequently assessed in routine care for older women. Among women aged 50 years and older, attendance on dietary care pathways in clinical settings may offer a pragmatic opportunity for early identification (screening) of ED risk indicators and related psychological distress, particularly during the menopausal transition. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare body dissatisfaction and ED risk indicators in older women attending dietary treatment versus those not following a dietary regimen. This cross-sectional study compared women aged ≥50 years without a prior ED diagnosis who were receiving medically supervised dietary treatment (DTG; n = 42) with peers not following any dietary regimen (NDG; n = 40) in Cádiz (Spain). Participants completed the Eating Disorder Inventory-3 Referral Form (EDI-3RF), AF-5 Self-Concept Questionnaire, List of Brief Symptoms (LBS-50), and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and underwent anthropometric assessment. Compared with those women in the NDG, those in the DTG had a higher body mass index (p = 0.002), higher drive for thinness (p < 0.001) and body dissatisfaction (p < 0.001), lower physical self-concept (p = 0.001), and higher total EDI-3RF scores (p < 0.001). Based on the EDI-3RF, 11.9% of the DTG met clinical referral criteria versus none in the NDG (p = 0.031). These findings indicate that, in this sample of women aged ≥ 50 years, women attending dietary care pathways exhibited a higher ED risk profile, higher psychopathological symptom levels, and lower physical self-concept than women not following a dietary regimen. Given the cross-sectional design, results should be interpreted as associations and may reflect pre-existing differences among women who enter dietary care; nonetheless, dietary care pathways may represent a practical opportunity to incorporate brief screening for body image concerns and ED risk indicators in older women.
PB MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)
SN 2673-4184
YR 2026
FD 2026-02-26
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/40644
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/40644
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 15-nov-2026