Perception of body size and body satisfaction in recovered anorexic women: Comparison with restrained and unrestrained eaters

The perception of body size, measured by three different methods, and body satisfaction were assessed in 23 formerly anorexic inpatients with an ''intermediate'' (n=9) or a ''good'' outcome (n=14) and compared with the data obtained from 21 restrained and 20 unrestrained eaters. Using the Kinaesthetic Size Estimation Apparatus, overestimation and uncertainty in the perception of body size became apparent in;both groups of former patients. The other two methods, Video Distortion Technique and Image Marking Procedure, did not produce comparable results. There was only a trend towards higher scores on body dissatisfaction, as measured by the Body Shape Questionnaire, in the patients' groups in comparison with the group of unrestrained eaters, whereas the patients' scores on body dissatisfaction were quite similar to those of the restrained eaters. None of these measures discriminated between the two outcome categories of ''intermediate'' and ''good.'' These findings suggest that restoration of body weight, by itself, obviously does not cause a normalization of body experience in all its components in patients with anorexia nervosa.