Conflicted Gender Identity, Body Dissatisfaction, and Disordered Eating in Adult Men and Women

The relation between gender identity and body dissatisfaction as well as disordered eating was examined in a population-based sample of Finnish adults aged 18 to 44 years (N = 1,142). Participants with a conflicted gender identity were compared to controls matched on age and biological sex. Participants with a conflicted gender identity showed higher levels of body dissatisfaction, women with a conflicted gender identity also showed more eating disturbance than controls. Among men with a conflicted gender identity, male-male sexual experience was associated with more body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. Among women with a conflicted gender identity, female-female sexual experience was related to less body dissatisfaction. Possible explanations for these findings and the potential clinical implications are discussed.