Perfectionism and disordered eating in overweight woman.

Background: Perfectionism constitutes a risk factor for the development of eating disorders. In overweight women, knowledge about the nature of this association is scarce.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between perfectionism, eating behaviors and affect in overweight women.

Methods: The Portuguese versions of the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire/EDEQ, the Multidimensional Perfectionism Questionnaire and the Profile of Mood States were administered to an outpatient sample of 276 women (mean age=43.85±11.89years; mean BMI=32.82±5.43kg/m(2)).

Results: Correlations between Socially Prescribed Perfectionism/SPP, EDEQ total (T) and its dimensional scores (Weight and Shape Concern and Dissatisfaction/WSCD, Eating Concern/EC, Dietary Restraint/DR) were significant (r>.30; p>.001). Self-Oriented Perfectionism/SOP was significantly correlated with EDEQ-T, WSCD and DR (r=.20). Participants with high (>M+SD) vs. low (

Conclusions: SPP and SOP are related to disordered eating in overweight women.