The impact of spirituality on eating disorder symptomatology in ethnically diverse Canadian women

Abstract

Background: There is currently a gap in our knowledge of how eating disorder symptomatology is impacted by spirituality and religiosity. To date, studies examining the role of ethnicity in women’s self-reported levels of eating disorder symptomatology have neglected the roles of spirituality and religiosity. Aims: This study addresses this gap in the literature by investigating ethnicity, spirituality, religiosity, body shame, body mass index (BMI) and age in relation to eating disorder symptomatology in women. Methods: A representative non-clinical sample of ethnically diverse Canadian women (N = 591) was surveyed. Results: Younger women, particularly those with higher body shame, BMI and lower spirituality, reported more eating disorder symptomatology. Hispanic and Asian women had higher body shame and lower BMI compared to white women. Spirituality was more strongly related to eating disorder symptomatology than religiosity. Conclusions: This is the first study identifying interactive relationships between ethnicity, spirituality, body shame, BMI and age on eating disorder symptomatology in women. Particularly significant is that higher spirituality was related to a lower level of eating disorder symptomatology. These findings have important implications for treatment and women’s physical and psychological health and wellness.