Food selection and intake of obese women with binge-eating disorder

Abstract

We studied food selection and intake of 19 women [body mass index (in kg/m2) > 30] [corrected], 10 of whom met proposed DSM-IV criteria for binge-eating disorder (BED). All subjects ate two multicourse meals in the laboratory, and were given tape-recorded instructions at each meal either to binge or eat in a normal fashion. Subjects with BED consumed significantly more energy than did subjects without BED at both the binge [12,400 vs 8440 kJ (2963 vs 2017 kcal), P < 0.005] and normal [9810 vs 6870 kJ (2343 vs 1640 kcal), P < 0.02] meals. During the binge meal subjects with BED consumed a greater percentage of energy as fat (38.9% vs 33.5%, P < 0.002) and a lesser percentage as protein (11.4% vs 15.4%, P < 0.01) than did subjects without BED. There were no differences in macronutrient composition of food choices between groups in the normal meal. Obese women who meet criteria for BED show differences in both intake and macronutrient composition of food choices from obese women who do not meet these criteria when asked to eat in a laboratory setting, supporting the validity of this new diagnosis.

A comparison of energy intake and food selection during laboratory binge eating episodes in obese women with and without a binge eating disorder diagnosis

“…The mean BMI of our BED group was 40.0 kg/m 2 . The total energy intake and BMI of our BED group is remarkably similar to that reported by Yanovski et al 8 in a BED group with a comparable BMI (2388 kcal and 41.53 kg/m 2 vs. 2963 kcal and 40.1 kg/m 2 ). With regard to differences in macronutrient intake in obese women with and without BED, we found that the BED group consumed significantly more total fat during the laboratory binge eating episode.…”

“…Alternately, our study may not have had enough power to detect these differences given the small sample size and the variability of the data. The finding, that there were no differences in the proportion of any of the macronutrients consumed by BED and non-BED obese in the laboratory, is consistent with the results reported by Goldfein et al 4 and Guss et al 7 The study by Yanovksi et al, 8 however, found that the BED group consumed a significantly higher proportion of energy from fat (38.9% vs. 33.5%) and lower proportion of energy from protein (11.4% vs. 15.4%) during the binge meal than the non-BED control group. Finally, one difference was found in the types of foods consumed by BED and obese control participants during the laboratory binge eating episodes.…”

“…The total energy intake for the BED group reported in this study (2178 kcal) falls within the range of previously reported measures of multiitem binge eating episodes, ranging from 1515 4 to 2963 kcal. 8 Guss et al 7 reported a positive correlation between food intake and BMI during binge eating episodes in BED, which may explain some of the variability in energy intake observed in the literature. The mean BMI of the BED group reported by Goldfein et al 4 was 33.4 kg/m 2 , while the mean BMI reported by Yanovksi et al 8 was 40.1 kg/m 2 .…”

“…To the best of our knowledge, four studies have directly compared the eating behaviors of obese women with and without BED when presented with a multiple item array of foods and instructed to binge eat in a laboratory setting. Yanovski et al 8 found that women with BED consumed significantly more total kilocalories than non-BED obese women (2963 vs. 2017 kcal). Goldfein et al 4 also found that women with BED had greater total food intake than non-BED controls (1515 vs. 1115 kcal).…”

“…4,[6][7][8] There has been substantial variability between studies, depending in part on the paradigm used. Previous multiple item feeding studies in BED have utilized laboratory methodologies modeled after a design by Hadigan et al 9 to examine binge eating behaviors in BN.…”