Lived experiences of subjective binge eating: An inductive thematic analysis

Abstract

Objective Growing evidence suggests that subjective binge eating (SBE; loss of control eating involving subjectively, but not objectively, large quantities of food) is clinically concerning even though it is not currently considered a diagnostic criterion for eating disorders. However, the lived experience of SBEs has not been examined in a systematic, and data‐driven way. Method The current study used a qualitative, inductive interview approach to further define SBEs as described by individuals who experience them. Participants (N = 14; 11 cisgender women, Mage = 35.29, 12 White/non‐Latinx) reported SBEs that occurred at least twice per week over the prior 3 months. We completed semi‐structured qualitative phone interviews with participants regarding their most recent SBE and objective binge‐eating episode (OBE) if applicable, as well as broader experiences and attitudes regarding non‐binge eating. Results Inductive, reflexive, thematic coding yielded descriptive and interpretive codes regarding SBEs. Main themes regarding SBE experience included: (a) SBEs Occur Across Contexts and Food Types, (b) SBEs Are Contrasts to General Over‐Control, (c) SBEs Are Distress‐ and Disconnection‐Inducing, Not Relieving, (d) SBEs Are Responses to Hunger and Restriction, and (e) SBEs Can Be “Echoes” of OBEs. Discussion The current study explored the lived experiences of those who report SBEs and provides an important foundation for hypothesis generation for future research on and clinical interventions for SBEs.

Experiences of loss of control eating in women after bariatric surgery: A qualitative study

“…Some of the identified triggers replicated prior findings. For example, the observation that LOC eating could occur across all contexts mirrors a previous qualitative study of individuals' experiences about subjective binge-eating, which similarly reported that subjective bingeeating occurred regardless of the time of day, locations, or food types (Brownstone et al, 2021). Also, women's vulnerability during evenings and with snacks concords with quantitative evidence about the strong correlation between LOC eating and night eating (Royal et al, 2015) and graze eating (Goodpaster et al, 2016).…”

Food Addiction: a Deep Dive into ‘Loss of Control’ and ‘Craving’

“…It is a subjective term and the element that is most often discussed when considering FA in parallel with disordered eating. When we consider LOC within the broader field of disordered eating, there are some attempts to separate objective from subjective binge eating [37,38]. For example, objective binge eating is defined as LOC during eating combined with consumption of an unusually large amount of food, determined by trained clinical interviewers [37].…”

“…When we consider LOC within the broader field of disordered eating, there are some attempts to separate objective from subjective binge eating [37,38]. For example, objective binge eating is defined as LOC during eating combined with consumption of an unusually large amount of food, determined by trained clinical interviewers [37]. In contrast, subjective binge eating can be LOC without the unusually large amounts of food consumed yet considered as excessive by the individual.…”