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The interrelationship between orthorexia nervosa, perfectionism, body image and attachment style

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Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

We investigated whether perfectionism, body image, attachment style, and self-esteem are predictors of orthorexia nervosa.

Methods

A cohort of 220 participants completed a self-administered, online questionnaire consisting of five measures: ORTO-15, the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS), the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire-Appearance Scale (MBSRQ-AS), the Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ), and Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale (RSES).

Results

Correlation analysis revealed that higher orthorexic tendencies significantly correlated with higher scores for perfectionism (self-oriented, others-oriented and socially prescribed), appearance orientation, overweight preoccupation, self-classified weight, and fearful and dismissing attachment styles. Higher orthorexic tendencies also correlated with lower scores for body areas satisfaction and a secure attachment style. There was no significant correlation between orthorexia nervosa and self-esteem. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that overweight preoccupation, appearance orientation and the presence of an eating disorder history were significant predictors of orthorexia nervosa with a history of an eating disorder being the strongest predictor.

Conclusions

Orthorexia nervosa shares similarities with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa with regards to perfectionism, body image attitudes, and attachment style. In addition, a history of an eating disorder strongly predicts orthorexia nervosa. These findings suggest that these disorders might be on the same spectrum of disordered eating.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology, College of Healthcare Sciences, Division of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, PO Box 6811, Cairns, QLD, 4870, Australia

    Marta A. Barnes & Marie L. Caltabiano

Authors
  1. Marta A. Barnes
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  2. Marie L. Caltabiano
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Correspondence to Marie L. Caltabiano.

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Both authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Barnes, M.A., Caltabiano, M.L. The interrelationship between orthorexia nervosa, perfectionism, body image and attachment style. Eat Weight Disord 22, 177–184 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-016-0280-x

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