---
_id: '13614'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: This study examined the role of muscularity concerns in eating disorder (ED)
symptoms among a sample of women. We expanded on previous research by exploring
a broader range of ED symptoms, including orthorexia (ON) and avoidant/restrictive
food intake disorder (ARFID). Using network analysis, we analysed data from 308
adult women (18 years or older) who completed muscularity, disordered eating,
and sociodemographic assessments. Our findings revealed five interconnected symptom
communities reflecting traditional ED symptoms, such as eating concerns and shape
and weight overvaluation. Notably, muscularity concerns emerged as a distinct
community, emphasising their relevance to ED symptoms in women. Additionally,
we identified selective eating tendencies and compulsive healthy eating. Highly
central symptoms were rumination about healthy eating, fear and guilt over unhealthy
eating, body‐related embarrassment, and muscularity concerns (wishing to be heavier,
wishing for heavier arms). These results suggest that muscularity concerns could
constitute a uniquely identifiable and central diagnostic target for body image
concerns and disordered eating in women.
author:
- first_name: Vanessa
full_name: Jürgensen, Vanessa
last_name: Jürgensen
- first_name: Georg
full_name: Halbeisen, Georg
id: '85780'
last_name: Halbeisen
orcid: 0000-0002-9529-2215
- first_name: Martin S.
full_name: Lehe, Martin S.
last_name: Lehe
- first_name: Georgios
full_name: Paslakis, Georgios
last_name: Paslakis
citation:
ama: 'Jürgensen V, Halbeisen G, Lehe MS, Paslakis G. Muscularity Concerns and Disordered
Eating Symptoms in Adult Women: A Network Analysis. European Eating Disorders
Review. 2025;33(5):864-878. doi:10.1002/erv.3192'
apa: 'Jürgensen, V., Halbeisen, G., Lehe, M. S., & Paslakis, G. (2025). Muscularity
Concerns and Disordered Eating Symptoms in Adult Women: A Network Analysis. European
Eating Disorders Review, 33(5), 864–878. https://doi.org/10.1002/erv.3192'
bjps: 'Jürgensen V et al. (2025) Muscularity Concerns and Disordered
Eating Symptoms in Adult Women: A Network Analysis. European Eating Disorders
Review 33, 864–878.'
chicago: 'Jürgensen, Vanessa, Georg Halbeisen, Martin S. Lehe, and Georgios Paslakis.
“Muscularity Concerns and Disordered Eating Symptoms in Adult Women: A Network
Analysis.” European Eating Disorders Review 33, no. 5 (2025): 864–78. https://doi.org/10.1002/erv.3192.'
chicago-de: 'Jürgensen, Vanessa, Georg Halbeisen, Martin S. Lehe und Georgios Paslakis.
2025. Muscularity Concerns and Disordered Eating Symptoms in Adult Women: A Network
Analysis. European Eating Disorders Review 33, Nr. 5: 864–878. doi:10.1002/erv.3192,
.'
din1505-2-1: 'Jürgensen, Vanessa ;
Halbeisen, Georg ; Lehe,
Martin S. ; Paslakis, Georgios:
Muscularity Concerns and Disordered Eating Symptoms in Adult Women: A Network
Analysis. In: European Eating Disorders Review Bd. 33. Chichester , Wiley
(2025), Nr. 5, S. 864–878'
havard: 'V. Jürgensen, G. Halbeisen, M.S. Lehe, G. Paslakis, Muscularity Concerns
and Disordered Eating Symptoms in Adult Women: A Network Analysis, European Eating
Disorders Review. 33 (2025) 864–878.'
ieee: 'V. Jürgensen, G. Halbeisen, M. S. Lehe, and G. Paslakis, “Muscularity Concerns
and Disordered Eating Symptoms in Adult Women: A Network Analysis,” European
Eating Disorders Review, vol. 33, no. 5, pp. 864–878, 2025, doi: 10.1002/erv.3192.'
mla: 'Jürgensen, Vanessa, et al. “Muscularity Concerns and Disordered Eating Symptoms
in Adult Women: A Network Analysis.” European Eating Disorders Review,
vol. 33, no. 5, 2025, pp. 864–78, https://doi.org/10.1002/erv.3192.'
short: V. Jürgensen, G. Halbeisen, M.S. Lehe, G. Paslakis, European Eating Disorders
Review 33 (2025) 864–878.
ufg: 'Jürgensen, Vanessa u. a.: Muscularity Concerns and Disordered Eating
Symptoms in Adult Women: A Network Analysis, in: European Eating Disorders
Review 33 (2025), H. 5, S. 864–878.'
van: 'Jürgensen V, Halbeisen G, Lehe MS, Paslakis G. Muscularity Concerns and Disordered
Eating Symptoms in Adult Women: A Network Analysis. European Eating Disorders
Review. 2025;33(5):864–78.'
date_created: 2026-03-25T13:49:01Z
date_updated: 2026-03-27T08:25:59Z
department:
- _id: DEP1500
doi: 10.1002/erv.3192
intvolume: ' 33'
issue: '5'
keyword:
- body dysmorphia
- drive for muscularity
- eating disorders
- psychotherapy
- thinness ideal
language:
- iso: eng
page: 864-878
place: 'Chichester '
publication: European Eating Disorders Review
publication_identifier:
eissn:
- 1099-0968
issn:
- 1072-4133
publication_status: published
publisher: Wiley
quality_controlled: '1'
status: public
title: 'Muscularity Concerns and Disordered Eating Symptoms in Adult Women: A Network
Analysis'
type: scientific_journal_article
user_id: '83781'
volume: 33
year: '2025'
...
---
_id: '13619'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: "Objective\r\nEating disorders (EDs) increasingly emerge as a health risk
in men, but there is concern that men's symptoms go unnoticed due to stereotypical
perceptions and gender-related differences in symptom presentation. Novel assessments
focused particularly on attitudes and behaviours towards increasing muscle size
and definition. Using network analysis, this study aimed to corroborate and extend
previous findings on disordered eating presentation in men by examining the role
of muscularity concerns among an extended range of disordered eating symptoms.\r\nMethod\r\nN
= 294 adult men (18 years or older) completed muscularity-related and disordered
eating assessments, among which we included assessments for orthorexic eating
and Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder for the first time. We selected
symptoms empirically, estimated a regularised network, identified symptom communities,
evaluated network loadings and bridge centrality estimates, and compared network
structures between different groups of participants.\r\nResults\r\nWe identified
five symptom communities related to muscularity-related concerns, features of
core ED psychopathology, and selective eating. Symptoms regarding ruminating about
healthy eating, guilt for unhealthy eating, weight overvaluation, concerns about
muscularity, and selective eating emerged as highly central.\r\nDiscussion\r\nThe
results largely corroborate previous observations but suggest that muscle-building
behaviours are part of a broader cluster of male body shaping and rule-based dieting
behaviours.\r\n"
author:
- first_name: R. Leopold
full_name: Eschrich, R. Leopold
last_name: Eschrich
- first_name: Georg
full_name: Halbeisen, Georg
id: '85780'
last_name: Halbeisen
orcid: 0000-0002-9529-2215
- first_name: Sabine
full_name: Steins‐Loeber, Sabine
last_name: Steins‐Loeber
- first_name: Nina
full_name: Timmesfeld, Nina
last_name: Timmesfeld
- first_name: Georgios
full_name: Paslakis, Georgios
last_name: Paslakis
citation:
ama: 'Eschrich RL, Halbeisen G, Steins‐Loeber S, Timmesfeld N, Paslakis G. Investigating
the structure of disordered eating symptoms in adult men: A network analysis.
European eating disorders review : the professional journal of the Eating
Disorders Association. 2024;33(1):80-94. doi:10.1002/erv.3131'
apa: 'Eschrich, R. L., Halbeisen, G., Steins‐Loeber, S., Timmesfeld, N., & Paslakis,
G. (2024). Investigating the structure of disordered eating symptoms in adult
men: A network analysis. European Eating Disorders Review : The Professional
Journal of the Eating Disorders Association, 33(1), 80–94. https://doi.org/10.1002/erv.3131'
bjps: 'Eschrich RL et al. (2024) Investigating the Structure of Disordered
Eating Symptoms in Adult Men: A Network Analysis. European eating disorders
review : the professional journal of the Eating Disorders Association 33,
80–94.'
chicago: 'Eschrich, R. Leopold, Georg Halbeisen, Sabine Steins‐Loeber, Nina Timmesfeld,
and Georgios Paslakis. “Investigating the Structure of Disordered Eating Symptoms
in Adult Men: A Network Analysis.” European Eating Disorders Review : The
Professional Journal of the Eating Disorders Association 33, no. 1 (2024):
80–94. https://doi.org/10.1002/erv.3131.'
chicago-de: 'Eschrich, R. Leopold, Georg Halbeisen, Sabine Steins‐Loeber, Nina Timmesfeld
und Georgios Paslakis. 2024. Investigating the structure of disordered eating
symptoms in adult men: A network analysis. European eating disorders review :
the professional journal of the Eating Disorders Association 33, Nr. 1: 80–94.
doi:10.1002/erv.3131, .'
din1505-2-1: 'Eschrich, R. Leopold
; Halbeisen, Georg ; Steins‐Loeber,
Sabine ; Timmesfeld, Nina
; Paslakis, Georgios: Investigating
the structure of disordered eating symptoms in adult men: A network analysis.
In: European eating disorders review : the professional journal of the Eating
Disorders Association Bd. 33. Chichester, Wiley (2024), Nr. 1, S. 80–94'
havard: 'R.L. Eschrich, G. Halbeisen, S. Steins‐Loeber, N. Timmesfeld, G. Paslakis,
Investigating the structure of disordered eating symptoms in adult men: A network
analysis, European Eating Disorders Review : The Professional Journal of the
Eating Disorders Association. 33 (2024) 80–94.'
ieee: 'R. L. Eschrich, G. Halbeisen, S. Steins‐Loeber, N. Timmesfeld, and G. Paslakis,
“Investigating the structure of disordered eating symptoms in adult men: A network
analysis,” European eating disorders review : the professional journal of
the Eating Disorders Association, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 80–94, 2024, doi: 10.1002/erv.3131.'
mla: 'Eschrich, R. Leopold, et al. “Investigating the Structure of Disordered Eating
Symptoms in Adult Men: A Network Analysis.” European Eating Disorders Review :
The Professional Journal of the Eating Disorders Association, vol. 33, no.
1, 2024, pp. 80–94, https://doi.org/10.1002/erv.3131.'
short: 'R.L. Eschrich, G. Halbeisen, S. Steins‐Loeber, N. Timmesfeld, G. Paslakis,
European Eating Disorders Review : The Professional Journal of the Eating Disorders
Association 33 (2024) 80–94.'
ufg: 'Eschrich, R. Leopold u. a.: Investigating the structure of disordered
eating symptoms in adult men: A network analysis, in: European eating disorders
review : the professional journal of the Eating Disorders Association 33 (2024),
H. 1, S. 80–94.'
van: 'Eschrich RL, Halbeisen G, Steins‐Loeber S, Timmesfeld N, Paslakis G. Investigating
the structure of disordered eating symptoms in adult men: A network analysis.
European eating disorders review : the professional journal of the Eating Disorders
Association. 2024;33(1):80–94.'
date_created: 2026-03-25T14:41:29Z
date_updated: 2026-03-25T15:13:01Z
department:
- _id: DEP1500
doi: 10.1002/erv.3131
intvolume: ' 33'
issue: '1'
keyword:
- drive for muscularity
- eating disorders
- men
- psychotherapy
- thinness ideal
language:
- iso: eng
page: 80-94
place: Chichester
publication: ' European eating disorders review : the professional journal of the
Eating Disorders Association'
publication_identifier:
eissn:
- 1099-0968
issn:
- 1072-4133
- 1067-1633
publication_status: published
publisher: Wiley
quality_controlled: '1'
status: public
title: 'Investigating the structure of disordered eating symptoms in adult men: A
network analysis'
type: scientific_journal_article
user_id: '83781'
volume: 33
year: '2024'
...
---
_id: '13607'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: "Background\r\nPrevious investigations on the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire
(EDE-Q) factor structures in men have been restricted to non-clinical settings,
limiting conclusions about the factorial validity in men with eating disorders
(ED). This study aimed to examine the factor structure of the German EDE-Q in
a clinical group of adult men with diagnosed ED.\r\nMethods\r\nED symptoms were
assessed using the validated German version of the EDE-Q. Exploratory factor analysis
(EFA) using principal-axis factoring based on polychoric correlations was conducted
for the full sample (N = 188) using Varimax-Rotation with Kaiser-Normalization.\r\nResults\r\nHorn’s
parallel analysis suggested a five-factor solution with an explained variance
of 68%. The EFA factors were labeled “Restraint” (items 1, 3–6), “Body Dissatisfaction”
(items 25–28), “Weight Concern” (items 10–12, 20), “Preoccupation” (items 7 and
8), and “Importance” (items 22 and 23). Items 2, 9, 19, 21, and 24 were excluded
due to low communalities.\r\nConclusions\r\nFactors associated with body concerns
and body dissatisfaction in adult men with ED are not fully represented in the
EDE-Q. This could be due to differences in body ideals in men, e.g., the underestimation
of the role of concerns about musculature. Consequently, it may be useful to apply
the 17-item five-factor structure of the EDE-Q presented here to adult men with
diagnosed ED."
article_number: '34'
author:
- first_name: Nora M.
full_name: Laskowski, Nora M.
last_name: Laskowski
- first_name: Georg
full_name: Halbeisen, Georg
id: '85780'
last_name: Halbeisen
orcid: 0000-0002-9529-2215
- first_name: Karsten
full_name: Braks, Karsten
last_name: Braks
- first_name: Thomas J.J.
full_name: Huber, Thomas J.J.
last_name: Huber
- first_name: Georgios
full_name: Paslakis, Georgios
last_name: Paslakis
citation:
ama: Laskowski NM, Halbeisen G, Braks K, Huber TJJ, Paslakis G. Factor structure
of the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) in adult men with eating
disorders. Journal of Eating Disorders. 2023;11(1). doi:10.1186/s40337-023-00757-4
apa: Laskowski, N. M., Halbeisen, G., Braks, K., Huber, T. J. J., & Paslakis,
G. (2023). Factor structure of the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q)
in adult men with eating disorders. Journal of Eating Disorders, 11(1),
Article 34. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-023-00757-4
bjps: Laskowski NM et al. (2023) Factor Structure of the Eating Disorder
Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) in Adult Men with Eating Disorders. Journal
of Eating Disorders 11.
chicago: Laskowski, Nora M., Georg Halbeisen, Karsten Braks, Thomas J.J. Huber,
and Georgios Paslakis. “Factor Structure of the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire
(EDE-Q) in Adult Men with Eating Disorders.” Journal of Eating Disorders
11, no. 1 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-023-00757-4.
chicago-de: Laskowski, Nora M., Georg Halbeisen, Karsten Braks, Thomas J.J. Huber
und Georgios Paslakis. 2023. Factor structure of the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire
(EDE-Q) in adult men with eating disorders. Journal of Eating Disorders
11, Nr. 1. doi:10.1186/s40337-023-00757-4,
.
din1505-2-1: 'Laskowski, Nora M. ;
Halbeisen, Georg ; Braks,
Karsten ; Huber, Thomas J.J.
; Paslakis, Georgios: Factor structure
of the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) in adult men with eating
disorders. In: Journal of Eating Disorders Bd. 11. London, BioMed Central
(2023), Nr. 1'
havard: N.M. Laskowski, G. Halbeisen, K. Braks, T.J.J. Huber, G. Paslakis, Factor
structure of the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) in adult men
with eating disorders, Journal of Eating Disorders. 11 (2023).
ieee: 'N. M. Laskowski, G. Halbeisen, K. Braks, T. J. J. Huber, and G. Paslakis,
“Factor structure of the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) in
adult men with eating disorders,” Journal of Eating Disorders, vol. 11,
no. 1, Art. no. 34, 2023, doi: 10.1186/s40337-023-00757-4.'
mla: Laskowski, Nora M., et al. “Factor Structure of the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire
(EDE-Q) in Adult Men with Eating Disorders.” Journal of Eating Disorders,
vol. 11, no. 1, 34, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-023-00757-4.
short: N.M. Laskowski, G. Halbeisen, K. Braks, T.J.J. Huber, G. Paslakis, Journal
of Eating Disorders 11 (2023).
ufg: 'Laskowski, Nora M. u. a.: Factor structure of the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire
(EDE-Q) in adult men with eating disorders, in: Journal of Eating Disorders
11 (2023), H. 1.'
van: Laskowski NM, Halbeisen G, Braks K, Huber TJJ, Paslakis G. Factor structure
of the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) in adult men with eating
disorders. Journal of Eating Disorders. 2023;11(1).
date_created: 2026-03-25T13:36:30Z
date_updated: 2026-04-08T12:36:59Z
department:
- _id: DEP1500
doi: 10.1186/s40337-023-00757-4
external_id:
isi:
- '000943959600001'
pmid:
- '36879335'
intvolume: ' 11'
isi: '1'
issue: '1'
keyword:
- Eating disorders
- Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire
- EDE-Q
- Factor analysis
- Men’s health
- Body dissatisfaction
- Muscularity
language:
- iso: eng
place: London
pmid: '1'
publication: Journal of Eating Disorders
publication_identifier:
eissn:
- 2050-2974
publication_status: published
publisher: BioMed Central
quality_controlled: '1'
status: public
title: Factor structure of the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) in
adult men with eating disorders
type: scientific_journal_article
user_id: '83781'
volume: 11
year: '2023'
...