Religion orientations and eating disorders.

Background: The aim of the present case-control study was to evaluate the relationships between eating disorder (ED) psychopathology and two different religious orientations: intrinsic and extrinsic.

Methods: Twenty-three anorexia nervosa, 10 bulimia nervosa and 39 binge eating disorder patients were compared with 72 healthy control subjects, using the Religious Orientation Scale (ROS).

Results: ED patients showed higher scores on the extrinsic subscale and lower intrinsic religiousness subscale compared to healthy controls.