Attractive partners can trigger eating disorder in women

Attention men, you may want to tell your wife that she’s beautiful more often. A recent study has found that women who think that their husbands are more attractive than them, are at an increased risk of developing eating disorder and dissatisfaction with life. That’s the reason why wives, who crash-diet to slim down, are driven to do so, suggest findings by The Florida State University.

Women’s risk of developing more extreme weight-loss behaviours is linked to other forms of psychological distress — depression, anxiety, substance abuse and dissatisfaction with life.

The team examined 113 newlywed couples — married less than four months with average age of late 20s and living in the Dallas area of US — who agreed to be rated on their attractiveness. Each participant completed a lengthy questionnaire focusing in part on their desire to diet or have a thin body. The researchers also found that men were rarely motivated to do the same, regardless of how attractive they thought their wives to be.

Lead author Tania Reynolds said that if men understand how women’s relationships affect their decision to diet and the social predictors for developing unhealthy eating behaviours, then they will be better able to help them. “One way to help these women is for partners to be very reaffirming, reminding them, You’re beautiful. I love you at any weight or body type,” added Reynolds.

PHOTO: SHUTTER STOCK Ladies who think that their husbands are more attractive than them, are more likely to opt for crash-diets to slim down