Special Series: Body Dissatisfaction, Binge Eating, and Dieting as Interlocking Issues in Eating Disorders Research

This series will expose the reader to current issues in eating disorders research. It begins with an examination of the roots of body dissatisfaction in childhood. The series then considers direct treatment of body dissatisfaction and explores patterns underlying binge eating, a correlate of body dissatisfaction. Two clinical weight control programs are described, one focusing specifically on reducing binge eating and the other examining the effects of a very low calorie (400-500 kcal/day) diet on dietary lapses. Six empirical articles thus extend the literature in this rapidly growing area. The seventh and final article responds to the current debate about dieting by reviewing relevant empirical findings and arguing for the utility of behaviorally based programs. This series shows the range of issues within this area, as well as considering the interlocking nature of body dissatisfaction, blnging, rigid dieting attitudes, and clinical obesity treatment programs.