A Preliminary Investigation of the Eating Disorder Continuum With Men

Men largely are neglected in research on eating disturbances, including research on the eating disorder continuum. This research explored whether the eating disorder continuum provides an accurate representation for men of characteristics related to disturbed eating in women. Results for a sample of 166 men were mixed, offering limited support for both the continuity and discontinuity perspectives. Scores on poor interoceptive awareness and on perceptions of long-term effectiveness, short-term safety, and long-term safety of maladaptive weight control techniques varied with respect to men’s rank along the eating disorder continuum. The eating disorder group appeared to be qualitatively different, however, from other groups on self-reported ineffectiveness. Scores on other variables did not vary with respect to men’s rank along the eating disorder continuum.