Body dissatisfaction and anxiety predict binge eating and eating disorder psychopathology in Malaysian adolescent girls and young women

Eating disorders are a growing concern in adolescent mental health globally, including in middle-income countries. Understanding risk factors across developmental stages is crucial for effective prevention and intervention. This study examined how body mass index (BMI), body dissatisfaction (BD), and anxiety contribute to binge eating (BE) and eating disorder (ED) psychopathology in Malaysian female adolescents and young adults, and to investigate BE as a potential mediator. Sample 1 of 398 16-year-old girls and Sample 2 of 169 female university students, aged 18-25 (M_age = 22.15, SD = 1.22), completed self-report measures assessing BD, state anxiety, trait anxiety, binge eating symptoms, and ED psychopathology, and reported their weights and heights. Relationships between variables and test mediation effects were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Both models revealed direct effects of BMI and BD on BE and ED psychopathology. BE mediated the paths from BMI, BD, and state anxiety to ED psychopathology. Trait anxiety was not supported as a shared risk factor. The models showed high similarity across both age groups. The findings suggest similar vulnerability to maladaptive eating behaviors among female youths in both developmental stages, highlighting the robustness of BD as a risk factor. The study provides insights into the development of eating disorders in a non-Western context, contributing to the global understanding of adolescent mental health. The study highlights the need for culturally sensitive, early interventions in middle-income countries to address the rising prevalence of eating disorders.