Overvaluation of shape and weight (OSW), or self-evaluation based primarily on body shape and weight, is associated with cognitive and behavioral aspects of eating disorders (including dietary restraint; concerns about eating, shape, and weight; and loss of control eating (LOC-eating), as well as psychological distress. We explored associations among OSW, depressive symptoms, and various forms of eating-related psychopathology, including whether frequency of LOC-eating mediates observed associations, among 88 bariatric surgery candidates. OSW was positively correlated with LOC-eating frequency, eating-related psychopathology, and depressive symptoms. There was a direct effect of OSW on depressive symptoms and eating-related psychopathology. LOC-eating frequency partially mediated the association between OSW and eating-related psychopathology. These findings demonstrate that OSW is important to assess as a marker of psychosocial distress.
Keywords: Bariatric surgery; Disordered eating; Loss of control eating; Overvaluation of shape and weight.