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Behavioral Sciences
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Body Image and Disordered Eating: Psychosocial, Cultural, Cognitive and Clinical...
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Body Image and Disordered Eating: Psychosocial, Cultural, Cognitive and Clinical Perspectives

A special issue of Behavioral Sciences (ISSN 2076-328X). This special issue belongs to the section "Social Psychology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2027 | Viewed by 3600

Editors

Dr. Panagiota Tragantzopoulou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Social Sciences, University of Westminster, London W1B 2HW, UK
Interests: body image; eating disorders; chronic illness; psychopathology; therapeutic; integration; social media; carer support
Dr. Vaitsa Giannouli

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: neuropsychology; cognitive psychology; geropsychology; quantitative and qualitative methodologies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Body image concerns are a central factor in the development and persistence of eating disorders, with body image disturbance being one of the most pervasive symptoms across diagnostic categories. This Special Issue invites empirical and theoretical contributions examining the complex interplay between body image and disordered eating across diverse populations and cultural contexts.

Submissions may address clinically recognized eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, as well as emerging patterns of disordered eating not yet formally classified in diagnostic manuals, including orthorexia nervosa. Research exploring cognitive, sociocultural, and gender-based influences on body image, such as social media exposure, beauty standards, and stigma, will be especially relevant.

Manuscripts focusing on the impact of body acceptance movements, including body positivity and body neutrality, are encouraged, particularly in relation to shifting societal discourse and individual psychological outcomes. Suitable methodologies include longitudinal, experimental, cross-cultural, and qualitative approaches, as well as systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

This Special Issue aims to advance our understanding of how body image and eating behaviors intersect with identity, culture, and mental health and to identify meaningful pathways for prevention, intervention, and public health strategies.

Dr. Panagiota Tragantzopoulou
Dr. Vaitsa Giannouli
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Behavioral Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • body image
  • body image disturbance
  • eating disorders
  • disordered eating
  • orthorexia nervosa
  • body positivity
  • sociocultural influences
  • media and body ideals
  • emerging eating behaviors
  • gender and body perception

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 307 KB  
Article
Constructing Moral Selves Through Food: A Qualitative Study of Orthorexic Eating Practices in the UK
by Panagiota Tragantzopoulou, Elina Mitrofanova and Vaitsa Giannouli
Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(6), 997; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16060997 - 15 Jun 2026
Viewed by 184
Abstract
Contemporary health cultures increasingly promote disciplined eating and bodily optimisation, contributing to growing interest in orthorexia nervosa (ON), a pattern of restrictive eating characterised by an obsessive focus on food purity and health. While ON has been widely studied in relation to dietary [...] Read more.
Contemporary health cultures increasingly promote disciplined eating and bodily optimisation, contributing to growing interest in orthorexia nervosa (ON), a pattern of restrictive eating characterised by an obsessive focus on food purity and health. While ON has been widely studied in relation to dietary restriction and health anxiety, less attention has been given to how individuals themselves construct meaning around these practices. The present qualitative study aimed to explore how individuals displaying orthorexic tendencies construct moral identity and self-worth through their dietary practices. Eighteen participants (13 women, 5 men; aged 19–58) living in the United Kingdom who self-identified as “healthy eaters” took part in semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis within a social constructionist framework. Four themes were generated: (1) The Disciplined Self, describing how strict dietary practices were framed as evidence of personal control and self-regulation; (2) The Body as Evidence of Purity and Health, where physical appearance and bodily feelings were interpreted as confirmation of moral and dietary correctness; (3) Ethical Eating and Moral Positioning, illustrating how participants positioned their food choices as ethically superior; and (4) Guilt and Moral Repositioning, highlighting the moral emotions that followed perceived dietary transgressions. These findings suggest that orthorexic eating practices function not only as health behaviours but also as moral performances through which individuals construct disciplined, responsible, and virtuous identities. Understanding these moral and identity dimensions may help situate orthorexic tendencies within broader sociocultural narratives surrounding health, morality, and self-discipline. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Image and Disordered Eating: Psychosocial, Cultural, Cognitive and Clinical Perspectives)
18 pages, 1201 KB  
Article
Shaped by the Industry: Female Fashion Models’ Perceptions of Aesthetic Labour, Body Governance and Disordered Eating
by Alison Fixsen, Reka Nagy and Magdalena Bailey
Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(6), 959; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16060959 - 10 Jun 2026
Viewed by 336
Abstract
Female fashion models face intense bodily surveillance within a competitive and largely unregulated industry. While many young recruits endure the industry’s initial demands, less is known about how these formative experiences are later interpreted. Grounded in feminist and phenomenological perspectives, this article presents [...] Read more.
Female fashion models face intense bodily surveillance within a competitive and largely unregulated industry. While many young recruits endure the industry’s initial demands, less is known about how these formative experiences are later interpreted. Grounded in feminist and phenomenological perspectives, this article presents an inductive analysis of 18 semi-structured interviews with female models aged 25+, exploring entry into modelling, socialization into industry norms, and longer-term effects on body image, eating attitudes, and embodied practices. Five interconnected themes were identified: growing up “superfast”; learning to eat less; being treated as a product; boundary violations as a darker side of modelling; and building resilience within a callous industry. Early immersion in modelling culture shaped psychological development, with self-worth becoming closely tied to conformity with a narrowly defined thin ideal. Aesthetic labour extended beyond paid work to continuous bodily regulation and self-surveillance, producing a persistent tension between the lived, sensing body (Leib) and the body as an object for evaluation (Körper). Disordered eating emerged as a normalised employment strategy. While maturity could soften this process, participants described ongoing attempts to reconcile bodily needs with external judgements. The fashion industry thus emerges as a concentrated site of objectification, with enduring consequences for embodied wellbeing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Image and Disordered Eating: Psychosocial, Cultural, Cognitive and Clinical Perspectives)
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17 pages, 2911 KB  
Article
The Effect of Physical Exercise on Emotional Eating Among College Students: A Chain Mediation Analysis of Dietary Behavior and Body Satisfaction
by Qi-Yue Feng, Zi-Meng Guo and Hai-Ying Quan
Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(5), 727; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16050727 - 8 May 2026
Viewed by 303
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the relationship between physical exercise and emotional eating, as well as the chain mediating effects of dietary behavior and body satisfaction therein. Methods: A survey was conducted on 575 college students using the Physical Activity Level Scale, Dutch Eating Behavior [...] Read more.
Objective: To investigate the relationship between physical exercise and emotional eating, as well as the chain mediating effects of dietary behavior and body satisfaction therein. Methods: A survey was conducted on 575 college students using the Physical Activity Level Scale, Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire, Body Self-State Scale, and Eating Behavior Scale. Results: (1) Physical exercise does not directly influence emotional eating. (2) Eating behavior mediated the relationship between physical exercise and emotional eating; body satisfaction did not mediate this relationship. (3) Both eating behavior and body satisfaction mediated the relationship between physical exercise and emotional eating. (4) Subgroup analysis revealed gender differences across all paths: mediating effects were significant among female participants but not among male participants. Conclusions: Findings reveal that physical exercise influences emotional eating through dietary behavior and the dietary behavior–body satisfaction pathway. This research provides insights for promoting college students’ physical and mental health and exploring the internal mechanisms of reducing emotional eating among this population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Image and Disordered Eating: Psychosocial, Cultural, Cognitive and Clinical Perspectives)
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12 pages, 1424 KB  
Article
Mindfulness as a Protective Factor Against Orthorexia: The Mediating Role of Body Image Anxiety
by Mirsini Pappa, Ioanna Christina Kostoula, Efstratios Christodoulou, Georgia-Eirini Deligiannidou, Antonios E. Koutelidakis, Theodoros Konstantinidis and Christos Kontogiorgis
Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(5), 665; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16050665 - 28 Apr 2026
Viewed by 329
Abstract
Mindfulness and body image anxiety are psychological factors associated with disordered eating and may contribute to orthorexia nervosa, yet their combined effects remain underexplored. In this cross-sectional online survey, 382 adults in Greece completed the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS-15), the Orthorexia scale [...] Read more.
Mindfulness and body image anxiety are psychological factors associated with disordered eating and may contribute to orthorexia nervosa, yet their combined effects remain underexplored. In this cross-sectional online survey, 382 adults in Greece completed the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS-15), the Orthorexia scale (ORTO-6), the Social Physique Anxiety Scale (SPAS-12), and measures of body mass index (BMI) and physical activity (PAVS). Descriptive statistics, correlations, regression analyses, and mediation analysis were conducted to examine the associations among mindfulness, body image anxiety, and orthorexia. Mindfulness correlated negatively with orthorexia and body image anxiety, whereas body image anxiety correlated positively with orthorexia. In multinomial logistic regression, higher body image anxiety increased the odds of low (OR = 1.194, 95% CI 1.114–1.280) and moderate mindfulness (OR = 1.125, 95% CI 1.068–1.185); orthorexia also increased the odds of low (OR = 1.146, 95% CI 1.040–1.264) and moderate mindfulness (OR = 1.099, 95% CI 1.026–1.176). Overall, psychological factors (mindfulness, body image anxiety) appeared more influential than anthropometric or lifestyle factors (BMI, physical activity) in relation to orthorexia. These findings indicate that mindfulness was inversely associated with orthorexia tendencies, while body image anxiety was positively associated with orthorexia and was statistically linked to this association in the mediation analysis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Image and Disordered Eating: Psychosocial, Cultural, Cognitive and Clinical Perspectives)
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15 pages, 906 KB  
Article
From Self-Esteem to Symptoms: A Potential Role for Difficulties Accessing Internal States and Body-Checking Behavior in Disordered Eating Patterns
by Diana Arbich, Daniela Kaplan and Reuven Dar
Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(3), 434; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16030434 - 17 Mar 2026
Viewed by 438
Abstract
Drawing on the Seeking Proxies for Internal States (SPIS) model and the concept of Difficulties in Accessing Internal States (DAIS), the present study examined the statistical associations among self-esteem, DAIS, body-checking, and disordered eating patterns (DEP). Within the SPIS framework, self-esteem is conceptualized [...] Read more.
Drawing on the Seeking Proxies for Internal States (SPIS) model and the concept of Difficulties in Accessing Internal States (DAIS), the present study examined the statistical associations among self-esteem, DAIS, body-checking, and disordered eating patterns (DEP). Within the SPIS framework, self-esteem is conceptualized as an evaluative internal state that may be appraised through externally observable proxies, such as body appearance. Cross-sectional data were collected from 200 adults recruited through Prolific Academic. Hayes’ PROCESS macro was used to test simple and serial mediation models examining whether DAIS and body-checking statistically account for associations between state self-esteem and DEP. Lower self-esteem was associated with higher DEP. Both DAIS and body-checking statistically accounted for portions of this association in simple mediation models. In a serial mediation model, the fully sequential pathway (self-esteem → DAIS → body-checking → DEP) remained statistically significant after accounting for shared variance among mediators. Given the cross-sectional design, these findings cannot establish temporal or causal relationships, but the observed pattern of associations is compatible with the proposed conceptual process. Additionally, our findings are based on a nonclinical sample and reflect variability in subclinical eating pathology. Implications for extending the SPIS framework to dimensional eating-related phenomena are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Image and Disordered Eating: Psychosocial, Cultural, Cognitive and Clinical Perspectives)
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19 pages, 3417 KB  
Article
Sustainability of Positive Body Image Changes One Year After Exercise Interventions in Young Women: A Quasi-Experimental Study
by Rasa Jankauskiene, Vaiva Balciuniene, Renata Rutkauskaite and Migle Baceviciene
Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(1), 83; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16010083 - 7 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1326
Abstract
Although some exercise interventions have demonstrated short-term benefits for women’s positive body image, evidence regarding their longer-term effects—particularly under real-world conditions—remains limited. Understanding the sustainability of post-intervention outcomes is important for assessing the practical relevance of exercise programmes and their potential to improve [...] Read more.
Although some exercise interventions have demonstrated short-term benefits for women’s positive body image, evidence regarding their longer-term effects—particularly under real-world conditions—remains limited. Understanding the sustainability of post-intervention outcomes is important for assessing the practical relevance of exercise programmes and their potential to improve positive body image. The aim of this study was to examine the sustainability of post-intervention outcomes related to positive body image one year after participation in non-randomised 8-week Nirvana Fitness (NF) and Functional Training (FT) interventions among young women under real-world conditions. Young women (mean age 22.79 ± 6.14) were self-selected into either the NF group (n = 16) or the FT (n = 15) group and participated in an eight-week exercise intervention. A control group (n = 17) of women did not participate in the intervention. Participants completed online questionnaires assessing body appreciation, body surveillance, functionality appreciation, body–mind connection, intrinsic exercise motivation, physical activity at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and 12 months later. Changes in outcomes over time were analysed using linear mixed-effects models with fixed effects for group, time, and their interaction, random intercepts for participants, and adjustment for age and body mass index. Analysis revealed significant group × time interactions for body appreciation, functionality appreciation, body–mind connection, and intrinsic exercise regulation, indicating differential changes over time between interventions and control groups. Body surveillance showed a significant effect of time only, whereas leisure-time exercise differed between groups but did not change over time. Overall, intervention groups demonstrated more favourable change patterns across positive body image-related outcomes compared with the control group. Conclusion: Participation in intervention programmes was associated with sustained improvements in positive body image and exercise motivation, but not with changes in body surveillance or leisure-time physical activity. Given the self-selected group allocation and small sample size, these findings should be considered exploratory. Larger randomised studies are needed to confirm the sustainability and generalisability of these findings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Image and Disordered Eating: Psychosocial, Cultural, Cognitive and Clinical Perspectives)
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