Binge Eating Disorder Mediates Links between Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, and Caloric Intake in Overweight and Obese Women

Abstract

Despite considerable comorbidity between mood disorders, binge eating disorder (BED), and obesity, the underlying mechanisms remain unresolved. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine models by which internalizing behaviors of depression and anxiety influence food intake in overweight/obese women. Thirty-two women (15 BED, 17 controls) participated in a laboratory eating-episode and completed questionnaires assessing symptoms of anxiety and depression. Path analysis was used to test mediation and moderation models to determine the mechanisms by which internalizing symptoms influenced kilocalorie (kcal) intake. The BED group endorsed significantly more symptoms of depression (10.1 versus 4.8, P = 0.005 ) and anxiety (8.5 versus 2.7, P = 0.003). Linear regression indicated that BED diagnosis and internalizing symptoms accounted for 30% of the variance in kcal intake. Results from path analysis suggested that BED mediates the influence of internalizing symptoms on total kcal intake (empirical P < 0.001 ). The associations between internalizing symptoms and food intake are best described as operating indirectly through a BED diagnosis. This suggests that symptoms of depression and anxiety influence whether one engages in binge eating, which influences kcal intake. Greater understanding of the mechanisms underlying the associations between mood, binge eating, and food intake will facilitate the development of more effective prevention and treatment strategies for both BED and obesity.

Eating tasty food to cope. Longitudinal association with BMI

“…This association was replicated here in two additional groups of college students. Reward Enhancement, the other internal motive, was previously found to contribute to variance in binge-eating severity among college students, which can also exacerbate weight gain (Abraham, Massaro, Hoffmann, Yanovski, & Fox, 2014; Peterson, Latendresse, Bartholome, Warren, & Raymond, 2012). …”

Binge eating disorder and obesity: Preliminary evidence for distinct cardiovascular and psychological phenotypes

“…BED is associated with considerable psychological and physiological dysfunction that distinguishes it from obesity [4,20,35,40,50,55,56]; it aggregates in families independently of obesity and is caused in part by familial factors distinct from those for obesity [23]. Yet, additional studies are needed to further differentiate the BED phenotype from the obesity phenotype in order to inform treatment development [50,55].…”

Relación entre la violencia contra la mujer y el índice de masa corporal: revisión integradora

“…Sin embargo, el imc clasificado como bajo en mujeres violentadas también podría ser explicado por el hecho de que los agresores a menudo usan los diferentes tipos de violencia para controlar la conducta de los miembros de su familia, entre ellas la comida y su preparación, o la inhabilidad de la mujer para tomar decisiones, incluyendo la elección de los tipos y cantidades de comida que prepara para ella y el resto de la familia (58,59). Esta circunstancia es perpetuada por la idea de la masculinidad vinculada con el honor y la agresión; por el cumplimiento de los múltiples roles que desempeñan las mujeres impuestos por la sociedad; por la aceptación de la violencia como una forma de resolución de conflictos (60-62); y por nociones culturales en las que el hombre es visto como el proveedor de los bienes y quien tiene el rol de la toma de decisiones referentes en el hogar, sin que la mujer tenga voz, lo que perpetúa la desigualdad en las relaciones de pareja.…”