Prospective Associations Between Binge Eating and Psychological Risk Factors in Adolescence

Abstract

There is evidence that intrapersonal psychological factors might contribute to the development of binge eating. However, studies considering reciprocal effects between risk factors and disordered eating are rare. The present article investigates the nature of the temporal relationships between binge eating and low self-esteem, depressive symptoms, interoceptive deficits, perfectionism, weight/shape concerns, dietary restraint, and the internalization of the societal body ideal in adolescence while taking into account the moderating effects of age and gender. A German population-based sample of 1039 boys and girls from 12 to 19 years of age answered self-report questionnaires on risk factors and eating pathology on 2 measurement points separated by 20 months. Data were analyzed using a cross-lagged panel design. Low self-esteem, interoceptive deficits, weight/shape concerns, and the internalization of the societal body ideal predicted binge eating longitudinally in bivariate analyses. Binge eating predicted later depressive symptoms, whereas perfectionism and dietary restraint were not longitudinally linked to binge eating in either direction. Low self-esteem and weight/shape concerns emerged as multivariate predictors of binge eating in girls and boys, respectively. No moderating effects of age were observed. The results suggest that depressive symptoms might rather be a consequence of binge eating than a risk factor, and this underscores that even subclinical eating pathology might be associated with negative psychological outcomes. Central risk factors that should be targeted in prevention programs might be low self-esteem for girls and weight/shape concerns for boys.

Longitudinal Bi‐directional Effects of Disordered Eating, Depression and Anxiety

“…In their meta-analysis, Puccio et al (2016) found that the effect of DE on depression and vice versa was differentially moderated by different operationalizations of DE; for example, the effect of DE on depression was stronger for overall DE symptoms relative to bulimic and binge-eating symptoms. By contrast, other recent studies have suggested either a unidirectional longitudinal association where binge-eating symptoms predicted depression (Sehm & Warschburger, 2016) or a nonsignificant relationship between dysfunctional food consumption or dieting with depression (De Caro & Di Blas, 2016). Thus, the longitudinal DE-depression relationship might be subserved by specific symptoms of DE or, at the very least, that distinct symptoms of DE confer increased risk for developing depression and vice versa.…”

Justice sensitivity and rejection sensitivity as predictors and outcomes of eating disorder pathology: A 5‐year longitudinal study

“…Several risk factors for ED pathology are well‐established and similar to those of clinically diagnosed EDs, including female gender, body mass index, sociocultural pressure to be thin, body dissatisfaction, problems in interpersonal relationships, and internalizing problems (Culbert, Racine, & Klump, 2015; Jacobi et al, 2004; Krug et al, 2013; Lavender, De Young, & Anderson, 2010; Marmorstein, von Ranson, Iacono, & Malone, 2008; Sehm & Warschburger, 2018; Smith et al, 2018; Stice, 2002). Personality traits—specifically neuroticism—are also associated with ED pathology (Keel & Forney, 2013; Levallius, Clinton, Bäckström, & Norring, 2015; Lilenfeld, Wonderlich, Riso, Crosby, & Mitchell, 2006), suggesting that other personality traits that are related to neuroticism and internalizing problems, such as rejection and justice sensitivity (Schmitt, Gollwitzer, Maes, & Arbach, 2005), may be associated with ED pathology as well.…”

Symptom trajectories into eating disorders: A systematic review of longitudinal, nonclinical studies in children/adolescents

“…Overall, the presence of other psychiatric symptoms prior to ED onset is unsurprising given the high rates of lifetime comorbidity associated with EDs [5]. However, as the studies reviewed here and those outside the scope of this review have demonstrated, there is mixed evidence for any prospective association between affective and ED symptoms/disorders [74][75][76]. Further longitudinal research with frequent assessment points is warranted in order to tease apart any chronological patterns in the appearance of ED and other psychiatric disorder-related symptomatology or understand how they collectively contribute to the onset of EDs.…”