Body Image Satisfaction in Homosexual and Heterosexual Women David B. Herzog Kerry L. Newman Christine J. Yeh Meredith Warshaw (Accepted 25 October 1990) This Study examined the relationship between sexual orientation and eating disorders in women using a non-clinical sample of 45 homosexual and 64 heterosexual women. Sub- jects completed two self-report inventories composed of questions regarding weight, body image satisfaction, eating attitudes, and eating behaviors. Homosexual women were signif- icantly heavier than heterosexual women, desired a significantly heavier ideal weight, were less often concerned with weight and appearance, and had less drive for thinness. Homo- sexual women of normal weight were more satisfied with their bodies than heterosexual women. Homosexual women's greater body satisfaction and lower concern with weight and appearance may contribute to their lower rates of eating disorders. Body image dissatisfaction is likely related to the prevalence of dieting (Gray, 1977), anorexia nervosa, and bulimia nervosa (Polivy & Herman, 1985, 1987). The lower fre- quency of homosexual women with eating disorders (Abraham & Beumont, 1982) sug- gests that they may be more satisfied with their bodies than heterosexual women. Patient records at the Massachusetts General Hospital Eating Disorders Unit show that in the past 10 years less than 5% of the female patients had identified themselves as homosexual. An investigation comparing heterosexual and homosexual women's atti- tudes and perceptions towards body image satisfaction could help explain the differen- tial prevalence in the occurrence of eating disorders between heterosexual and homosexual women. Investigators have determined that most women are dissatisfied with their current weights and figures (Fallon & Rozin, 1985). Fallon and Rozin (1985) found that women David B. Herzog, M.D., is Director, Eating Disorders Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Associate Profes- sor, Harvard Medical School. Kerry L. Newman, B.A., is a Research Assistant at Massachusetts General Hospital. Christine J. Yeh, Ed.M., is a Project Coordinator at the Eating Disorders Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital. Meredith Warshaw, M.S.S., M.A., is a Biostatistician at the Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hos- pital. Address reprint requests to David B. Herzog, M.D., Director, Eating Disorders Unit, ACC #725, Massachu- setts General Hospital, 15 Parkman Street, Boston, MA 02114. International lournal of Eating Disorders, Vol. 11, No. 4, 391 -396 (1992) © 1992 by )ohn Wiley & Sons, Inc. CCC 0276-3478/92/040391 -06$04.00