Background: The potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on weight, shape-related appearance behaviors (body image dissatisfaction), and bulimic symptoms in nonclinical participants is poorly evaluated. This study aimed to identify the relationship between labor status, confinement degree due to COVID-19, dissatisfaction with body image, and anxiety and to discover its effect on bulimic behavior in Mexican adults.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a non-probabilistic sample of 276 participants via an online survey. Questions addressed their anxiety, body image dissatisfaction, and bulimic behavior.
Results: The path analysis showed direct effects on the confinement degree (β = -0.157); of the labor situation (β = -0.147) and gender (β = 0.129) on anxiety; of dissatisfaction on bulimic behavior (β = 0.443) and anxiety about bulimic behavior (β = 0.184); and dissatisfaction (β = 0.085).
Conclusions: The confinement, gender, and labor status are predictors of anxiety, while anxiety and body dissatisfaction directly influence bulimic behavior.
Keywords: COVID-19; anxiety; body dissatisfaction; body image; bulimic behavior; home confinement.