Ten-year time trends in mental and physical health correlates of weight/shape overvaluation

Objective: To investigate the relationships between weight/shape overvaluation, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and functional role impairment (days out of role [DOR]) in the general population over 11 years. Method: Five cross-sectional surveys of men and women representative of the South Australian population were conducted in 2005, 2008, 2009, 2015, and 2016 (ntotal = 15,140). Data were collected on demographics, overvaluation, HRQoL, DOR, and eating disorder behaviours. Results: Between 2005 and 2016, the prevalence of moderate overvaluation increased from 18.1% to 40.0%, marked overvaluation from 7.5% to 23.7%, and extreme overvaluation from 3.1% to 9.2% (all p < 0.001). Overvaluation at any level was associated with more DOR in 2005 but not in 2016, and the association between HRQoL impairment and overvaluation weakened over time. Conclusion: Although the population prevalence of overvaluation has increased significantly in the past decade, the impairment associated with it appears to have reduced.