Obesity is one of the most important health problems nowadays. In addition to the direct physical consequences, it is also a risk factor in the development of psychological (Eating disorders, body dissatisfaction, depression, anxiety, etc.) and social problems. Among there, body dissatisfaction is key for development and maintenance of such problems. Objective: to deepen the effectiveness of the body exposure treatment, both in its pure form and guided modality in subjective, psychological and attentional levels in people with body dissatisfaction and obesity. Methods: Evaluations were carried out in a total of 16 women with obesity and body dissatisfaction at the beginning and end of 6 treatment sessions of pure exposure in front of the mirror. The changes experienced at the subjective level (questionnaires and subjective discomfort during the sessions) and psychophysiological (eye-tracking and heart rate) were analyzed. Results: Pure exposure treatment reduces negative thoughts and emotions towards the body itself, as well as the experienced discomfort towards the most conflictive parts. Selective attention to those parts of the body classified as uglier by the participants (especially the rear view of the body) show a decrease in physiological reactivity. Conclusions: Pure exposure treatment seems to be effective in reducing subjective and psychological symptoms associated with body dissatisfaction in people with obesity, this technique could be considered a good choice for the treatment of body dissatisfaction. This step is essential to guarantee the long-term therapeutic success of any other treatment (nutritional or/and physical activity) in the future.

Nowadays, obesity (OB) is one of the most important health problems in population-wide health. In addition to its physical consequences, it is a risk factor for the development of psychological problems, including body dissatisfaction (BD). This is why the treatment of BD is essential for its prevention. However, this has mostly been studied from a quantitative perspective, without focusing on the discomfort experienced by the person and the accompanying thoughts and emotions. In this study, 26 women with obesity (BMI > 30 kg/m²) participated, of whom 16 had high BD and 10 had low BD, as measured by the BSQ questionnaire. The women with high BD underwent six sessions of exposure to their own body in front of a mirror, recording the discomfort experienced with this vision during the session. In addition, all participants recorded positive and negative thoughts towards their body before and after these sessions. After the exposure treatment sessions, a reduction in symptomatology (BD, discomfort when visualizing one’s own body) was observed, as well as a change in the thoughts expressed by the participants, both in quantity (fewer negative thoughts) and in quality (a more positive self-perception and/or in more respectful terms used towards themselves). In conclusion, such treatments prove to be effective in reducing subjective discomfort and body-related thoughts in women with obesity.

The high impact of COVID-19 pandemic on individuals’ well-being was especially detrimental to those suffering from an eating disorder (ED). The aim of the present study was to examine the perceived adverse and beneficial effects of lockdown on people with ED symptoms from a qualitative approach. The sample was made of 129 adults (M _age = 33.63; SD _age = 10.95; 78.3% women) with symptoms compatible with ED according to DSM-5-TR. Participants completed an online survey containing two open-ended questions inquiring about their lived experience regarding perceived negative and positive effects of the pandemic quarantine. Data were analyzed based on a content analysis using Atlas.ti software. In terms of negative effects, the following topics emerged: increased anxiety and perceived stress, loneliness perception, worsening symptoms and thoughts associated with ED, increased attention to body image, and detection of worse eating habits. Among the positive effects, the key themes were the ED recognition, linked to the awareness of the need to start therapy, the reduction of binge eating episodes, an increased self-esteem, a sense of protection and well-being, and improved health and eating behavior. Social isolation and the possibility to cover up ED symptomatology were also mentioned as positive features of the confinement. From a clinical viewpoint, examining positive perception on stressful events provides practitioners with therapeutic tools for treating individuals with ED based on a client-centered approach.