Secretive food concocting in binge eating: Test of a famine hypothesis

Abstract

Objective Food concocting, or making strange food mixtures, is well documented in the famine and experimental semistarvation literature and appears anecdotally in rare descriptions of eating disorder (ED) patients but has never been scientifically investigated. Here we do so in the context of binge-eating using a “famine hypothesis of concocting.” Method A sample of 552 adults varying in binge eating and dieting traits completed a Concocting Survey created for this study. Exploratory ED groups were created to obtain predictions as to the nature of concocting in clinical populations. Results Binge eating predicted the 24.6% of participants who reported having ever concocted but dietary restraint, independently, even after controlling for binge eating, predicted its frequency and salience. Craving was the main motive. Emotions while concocting mirrored classic high-arousal symptoms associated with drug use; while eating the concoctions were associated with intensely negative/self-deprecating emotions. Concocting prevalence and salience was greater in the anorexia > bulimia > BED > no ED groups, consistent with their respectively incrementing dieting scores. Discussion Concocting distinguishes binge eating from other overeating and, consistent with the famine hypothesis, is accounted for by dietary restraint. Unlike its adaptive function in famine, concocting could worsen binge-eating disorders by increasing negative effect, shame, and secrecy. Its assessment in these disorders may prove therapeutically valuable.

Weighty decisions: How symptom severity and weight impact perceptions of bulimia nervosa

“…Additionally, the social desirability of weight loss and belief that it enhances appearance, a belief that stigmatizes excess weight, can make treatment aimed at stopping extreme weight‐control behaviors aversive (Star, Hay, Quirk, & Mond, ). Eating‐disordered behaviors, including binge eating and extreme weight‐control behaviors, can be secretive (Boggiano, Turan, Maldonado, Oswald, & Shuman, ) due to associated feelings of embarrassment or guilt (American Psychiatric Association, ). Health providers can also fail to detect BN if they do not screen for eating disorders or if patients do not disclose symptoms during appointments; these barriers to detection could also interrelate, for example, if patients are less likely to disclose behaviors that they are not asked about directly (Anderson, Accurso, Kinasz, & Le Grange, ; Mond, Hay, Rodgers, & Owen, ; Thompson‐Brenner, Satir, Franko, & Herzog, ).…”

“…Additionally, the social desirability of weight loss and belief that it enhances appearance, a belief that stigmatizes excess weight, can make treatment aimed at stopping extreme weight-control behaviors aversive (Star, Hay, Quirk, & Mond, 2015). Eating-disordered behaviors, including binge eating and extreme weight-control behaviors, can be secretive (Boggiano, Turan, Maldonado, Oswald, & Shuman, 2013) due to associated feelings of embarrassment or guilt (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).…”

Real-time sampling of reasons for hedonic food consumption: further validation of the Palatable Eating Motives Scale

“…Correspondingly, their high palatability and caloric content compared to other foods promote overeating, a major cause of obesity and related metabolic disorders ( Drewnowski, 1998 ; Yeomans et al, 2004 ; Lattemann, 2015 ). These types of foods are also craved, preferred, and difficult to limit so they tend to trigger and maintain binge-eating, a key feature of eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder ( White and Grilo, 2005 ; Bohon et al, 2009 ; Boggiano et al, 2013 ; Rigaud et al, 2014 ; Witt and Lowe, 2014 ). If eaten too frequently in place of meals, these foods can also undermine one’s nutritional health as they lack several essential nutrients, hence the term “junk-food” ( Zizza et al, 2001 ; Poulos and Pasch, 2015 ).…”

The role of the opioid system in binge eating disorder

“…21 Highly palatable foods are more likely to be consumed for reasons beyond hunger, and their high palatability makes it more difficult to limit and to control their intake. 22,23 The opioid system (endogenous peptides and their receptors) has been strongly linked to rewarding impact of palatable food intake, and it represents one of the key systems that regulates hedonic overeating. 24 Opioid receptor agonist administration increases food intake, while opioid receptor antagonists decrease it.…”