Relationship between Cognition of Desirable Body Shape and Eating Abnormality

This study was conducted to construct a self-report scale of measuring abnormalities of eating attitude and behavior for college students and to examine the relations of the scores to current and desirable body shapes. The Eating Attitude and Behavior Scale (EABS) consisted of 18 questions and it was administered to 50 male and 50 female students, along with the questions on the current body shape, the ideal body shape, and the body shape thought most attractive to the opposite sex. The scale had high reliability and validity. All women's ideal and attractive shapes were thinner than their current shapes, whereas men rated all shapes nearly identically. Women desired thinner shapes than current shapes