Cigarette smoking is associated with body shape concerns and bulimia symptoms among young adult females

Eat Behav. 2009 Jan;10(1):56-8. doi: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2008.10.012. Epub 2008 Nov 6.

Abstract

Elevated rates of cigarette smoking have been reported among individuals with Bulimia Nervosa. However, little is known about eating disorder symptoms within non-clinical samples of smokers. The purpose of the present study was to compare the eating disorder symptoms of young adult female smokers (n=184) and non-smokers (n=56), to determine whether smokers were more likely to endorse bulimic symptoms and report greater body shape concern than non-smokers. Analyses indicated that smokers scored significantly higher than non-smokers on the Body Shape Questionnaire, p=.03, and the Bulimia Test-Revised, p=.006. In addition, a higher proportion of smokers than non-smokers scored > or = 85 on the Bulimia Test-Revised, p=.05, suggesting the possibility that Bulimia Nervosa diagnoses were more prevalent among smokers. No differences were found between smokers and non-smokers on other measures of eating behavior. Overall, findings suggest that smoking is specifically associated with symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa and body shape concern among young adult females.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Body Image*
  • Bulimia / epidemiology
  • Bulimia / psychology*
  • Bulimia Nervosa / epidemiology
  • Bulimia Nervosa / psychology*
  • Feeding Behavior* / psychology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Louisiana / epidemiology
  • Smoking / epidemiology
  • Smoking / psychology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Young Adult