Daily ovarian hormone exposure and loss of control eating in adolescent girls: A registered report

Abstract

Objective The daily biobehavioral factors that precipitate loss of control eating (LOCE) in adolescent girls are not well known. Ovarian hormone levels are key biological factors associated with the etiology of eating disorders in adolescent girls. Yet, models on how daily ovarian hormone exposure predicts LOCE in adolescent girls are underdeveloped. The goal of this study is to examine the daily patterns and mechanisms of ovarian hormone levels on LOCE across the menstrual cycle in adolescent girls and the mediating roles of food‐related reward anticipation and response inhibition. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) paired with daily hormonal sampling will be used to examine (1) daily associations between within‐person hormones and LOCE, and (2) the mediating role of within‐person food‐related reward anticipation and response inhibition. Methods Normally cycling adolescent girls who have reached menarche will provide daily saliva samples for hormone analysis and complete EMA for 35 days. During EMA, girls will report LOCE and will complete task‐based and self‐report measures of food‐related response inhibition and reward anticipation. Discussion This work has implications for the development of new real‐world biobehavioral models of LOCE in adolescent girls, which will guide theory improvements and treatment for LOCE. Results will provide preliminary evidence for treatment targets for novel interventions for adolescent girls—for example, a response inhibition intervention. Public Significance Adolescent eating disorders are severe mental health conditions, often marked by loss of control eating. Estrogen and progesterone play a role in the development and persistence of loss of control eating. The current study will examine how daily exposure to estrogen and progesterone predicts loss of control eating in adolescent girls and identify possible daily mechanisms linking estrogen and progesterone exposure and loss of control eating.