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Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Links with Eating Disorders and Gender-Related Factors

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Eating Disorders

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Abstract

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental disorder characterized by a distressing and impairing preoccupation with perceived defects in physical appearance. The disorder shares many clinical similarities with eating disorders (EDs) that involve a core component of disturbed body image, most notably anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. In particular, the muscle dysmorphia subtype of BDD has close parallels with anorexia nervosa, though is characterized by a drive toward muscularity rather than toward thinness. Due to similarities between the disorders and the reality that BDD can involve concerns with body fat or weight, differentiating BDD from an ED can sometimes be challenging. In addition, BDD and EDs often co-occur; thus, clinicians must routinely screen for BDD among ED patients. Treatments tailored to symptoms of BDD as well as EDs must be used in instances of comorbid BDD and EDs, as treatment responses differ between the disorders.

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Abbreviations

AN:

Anorexia nervosa

BDD:

Body dysmorphic disorder

BN:

Bulimia nervosa

CBT:

Cognitive behavioral therapy

ED(s):

Eating disorder(s)

MD:

Muscle dysmorphia

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Mental Health, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia

    Amy Malcolm

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  1. Amy Malcolm
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Correspondence to Amy Malcolm .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Westminster, London, UK

    Vinood Patel

  2. Dept Nutrition & Dietetics, King's College London, London, UK

    Victor Preedy

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Malcolm, A. (2022). Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Links with Eating Disorders and Gender-Related Factors. In: Patel, V., Preedy, V. (eds) Eating Disorders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67929-3_78-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67929-3_78-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-67929-3

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