Body image, body satisfaction, and eating patterns in normal-weight and overweight/obese women current smokers and never-smokers

doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2007.01.027

Addictive Behaviors

Volume 32, Issue 10, October 2007, Pages 2329-2334

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2007.01.027 Get rights and content

Abstract

To explore differences between women smokers and never-smokers in body image and eating patterns, we analyzed data obtained from 587 women (18–55 years old) recruited to participate in laboratory investigations not focused on weight concerns. The sample consisted of 420 current smokers and 167 never-smokers; 44% of each group were overweight or obese (BMI ≥ 25). Questionnaires included measures of body image, body dissatisfaction, and restrained and disinhibited eating. Smokers did not differ from never-smokers on perceived body shape but endorsed a thinner preferred body shape and scored lower on body satisfaction than never-smokers. Smokers also scored higher on measures of disinhibited eating. Among smokers, those who were overweight/obese scored higher than normal-weight smokers on concerns about post-cessation weight gain and lower on self-efficacy to avoid relapse if weight increased. Our findings suggest that women smokers may require help in attaining a more realistic body image and attention to dysfunctional eating patterns if they are to achieve and maintain a healthful weight and/or to quit smoking successfully. They also indicate that overweight smokers may be at elevated risk of relapse in the face of post-cessation weight gain.

Introduction

Nicotine suppresses body weight, an effect that has been shown to encourage initiation and maintenance of smoking in women (e.g., French et al., 1994, Klesges et al., 1988, Levine et al., 2001, Pomerleau et al., 2001, Pomerleau et al., 2001). Women with strong concerns about weight have been shown to be overrepresented among smokers compared with women who have never smoked (Clark et al., 2006, Wee et al., 2001).

Conflicting findings have been reported on whether this excess preoccupation with weight among smokers translates into poorer body image and body dissatisfaction. King, Matacin, Marcus, Bock, and Tripolone (2000), for example, found that adult smokers tend to feel relatively unattractive compared with a normative sample. Croghan et al. (2006), on the other hand, recently reported no differences between college women smokers and never-smokers in body satisfaction; they observed, however, that among smokers, body dissatisfaction positively predicted amount of smoking.

The present study was designed to determine whether smokers differed from never-smokers with respect to body image. Data were collected from women current smokers and never-smokers recruited from the local community on variables related to body image and body satisfaction, as well as on patterns of disordered or maladaptive eating (e.g., high scores on cognitive restraint—that is, excess dieting; and disinhibited eating—that is, uncontrolled and labile eating behavior). We hypothesized that women smokers would exhibit poorer or less realistic body image than their never-smoking counterparts, and that these differences would be particularly salient among overweight and obese women.

Section snippets

Participants

Participants were 587 women (420 current daily smokers, 167 never-smokers), 18–55 years old, recruited from the local community between 1994 and 2002 (mostly in 1994–1995) to participate in biobehavioral laboratory investigations of smoking and nicotine dependence and in clinical trials of smoking cessation medications. Although qualifications varied by study, most smokers were required to smoke at least 10 cigarettes/day for at least 3 years. Never-smokers were required to have smoked < 100

Sample characteristics

Baseline and demographic characteristics of normal-weight and overweight/obese never-smokers and current daily smokers are shown in Table 1. Forty-four percent of both smokers and never-smokers fell into the overweight or obese category (BMI ≥ 25).

Current smokers vs. never-smokers

Differences based on smoking and weight status in measures of body image, body satisfaction, and restrained and disinhibited eating are shown in Table 2.

Normal-weight vs. overweight/obese smokers

Overweight/obese smokers were significantly more concerned than normal-weight smokers about

Discussion

Forty-four percent of our sample was either overweight or obese. This is somewhat less than the national prevalence of overweight or obesity during the time when most of the data were collected (56% in 1988–1994; National Center for Health Statistics, 1994)—possibly because the participants were drawn from a relatively affluent university community (Zhang & Wang, 2004).

As expected, overweight/obese individuals accurately perceived themselves as larger than normal-weight individuals. Smokers did

Acknowledgments

Preparation of this manuscript was supported by Grant HL52981 to the first author from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. A preliminary version of this report was presented at the 2006 Annual Meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, Orlando, FL.

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Short communicationBody image, body satisfaction, and eating patterns in normal-weight and overweight/obese women current smokers and never-smokers

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Participants

Sample characteristics

Current smokers vs. never-smokers

Normal-weight vs. overweight/obese smokers

Discussion

Acknowledgments

Addictive Behaviors

Addictive Behaviors

Addictive Behaviors

Body Image

Journal of Psychiatric Research

Addictive Behaviors

Addictive Behaviors

Journal of Psychosomatic Research

Short communication
Body image, body satisfaction, and eating patterns in normal-weight and overweight/obese women current smokers and never-smokers