Impact of Interoceptive Accuracy and Upward Physical Appearance Comparison on Adaptive and Maladaptive Eating Behaviors

Eating disorders are a global concern with severe mental and physical health consequences, such as osteoporosis, anemia, heart damage, and organ failure in anorexia nervosa, and sore throat, tooth enamel erosion, gastrointestinal problems, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalance in bulimia nervosa (Himmerich et al., 2021). Even subclinical cases pose a serious threat to mental and physical health. Intuitive eating, as a non-dieting approach, focuses on recognizing hunger and fullness cues for maintaining health. Using cross-sectional data from a sample of 364 young adults surveyed in a university setting in a small Midwestern city, the current study employs structural equation modeling to investigate the links among interoceptive accuracy, upward physical appearance comparison, and adaptive (i.e., intuitive eating) and maladaptive eating behaviors (i.e., bulimia, restrained eating, and binge eating). Better understanding of the connections among these concepts has implications for clinical intervention targeting individuals struggling with disordered eating. It was hypothesized that interoceptive accuracy would be negatively associated with upward physical appearance comparison and positively associated with intuitive eating, while negatively associated with binge eating, restricted eating, and bulimia. Additionally, statistically significant indirect effects were anticipated, wherein heightened interoceptive accuracy was linked to a decrease in upward physical appearance comparison, ultimately leading to a reduction in disordered eating behaviors and an increase in intuitive eating. Structural equation modeling revealed significant associations between interoceptive accuracy, physical appearance comparison, and each of the four eating behaviors. Interoceptive accuracy was negatively associated with upward physical appearance comparison and maladaptive eating behaviors, while positively associated with intuitive eating. Indirect effects analysis showed that interoceptive accuracy reduced upward physical appearance comparison, subsequently decreasing disordered eating behaviors and promoting intuitive eating. These findings underscore the importance of interoceptive accuracy and upward physical appearance comparison in understanding and addressing disordered eating, emphasizing the potential of interventions targeting these factors for promoting healthier eating behaviors.