The reliability of estimates of body width and their relationship to current measured body size among anorexic and normal subjects

Normal and anorexic subjects' estimates of their own body width were obtained. The estimates were reliable measures, but they did not correlate with the subjects' actual body widths. The implications of this finding especially when relating anorexic patients' self-perceptions to their clinical outcome, are discussed. It seems preferable to use such estimates untransformed by division with the subjects' actual body widths.