Understanding lesbian women’s restrained eating in the context of their romantic relationships

Although previous research has explored romantic partners’ influences on eating and dieting behaviors (e.g., Markey & Markey, 2010) these effects have not been examined among lesbian romantic partners, and there have been no studies that address partners’ effects on restrained eating behavior. The present research examined relationship quality, partner dietary restraint, and body mass index (BMI) as predictors of women’s restrained eating behavior. Seventy-two lesbian couples (M age = 30 years) completed questionnaires assessing relationship quality and restrained eating, and researchers measured their heights and weights to determine BMI. Restrained eating was negatively correlated between partners, and individuals’ emotional eating positively correlated with their uncontrolled eating. Furthermore, individuals’ BMI predicted their overall eating practices. Actor-partner interdependence models showed significant actor, partner, and interaction effects of BMI on different components of restrained eating. The current research contributes to our understanding of lesbian relationships and subculture, and women’s health within the context of their romantic relationships.M.A.Includes bibliographical referencesby Lindzee Baile