Pediatric weight management interventions improve prevalence of overeating behaviors.

OBJECTIVE: To examine changes in prevalence of overeating behaviors in a comparative effectiveness study of two pediatric weight management interventions. METHODS: Four-hundred and seven children, ages 6-12 years, with a BMI ≥ 85th percentile were enrolled in a comparative effectiveness trial of two pediatric weight management interventions. Prevalence of "sneaking, hiding or hoarding food", and 'eating in the absence of hunger' was evaluated at baseline and 12 months. Statistical methods included McNemar's test and longitudinal logistic regression. RESULTS: Prevalence of "sneak, hide, or hoard food" significantly decreased in all participants from 29.1% to 20.7% at 12 months. The prevalence of "eating in the absence of hunger" decreased in all participants from 46.7% to 22.4% at 12 months. Use of SNAP benefits, free/reduced meals at school, parental stress, housing, and food insecurity at baseline were associated with an increased likelihood of endorsing overeating behaviors at 12 months. Conversely, those who engaged in at least one session of the pediatric weight management intervention were significantly less likely to endorse "eating in the absence of hunger" at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Participation in pediatric weight management interventions improves the prevalence of overeating behaviors and is associated with participant engagement and social determinants of health, specifically food security status. Efforts to engage populations impacted by food insecurity and other social determinants of health risk factors will be critical for success of weight management interventions. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier: NCT03012126).

'In the night kitchen': A scoping review on the night eating syndrome.

BACKGROUND: First described in 1955, night eating syndrome refers to an abnormal eating behavior clinically defined by the presence of evening hyperphagia (>25% of daily caloric intake) and/or nocturnal awaking with food ingestion occurring ⩾ 2 times per week. AIMS: Although the syndrome is frequently comorbid with obesity, metabolic and psychiatric disorders, its etiopathogenesis, diagnosis, assessment and treatment still remain not fully understood. METHODS: This review was conducted according to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines; PubMed database was searched until 31 October 2020, using the key terms: 'Night Eating Syndrome' AND 'complications' OR 'diagnosis' OR 'drug therapy' OR 'epidemiology' OR 'etiology' OR 'physiology' OR 'physiopathology' OR 'psychology' OR 'therapy'. RESULTS: From a total of 239 citations, 120 studies assessing night eating syndrome met the inclusion criteria to be included in the review. CONCLUSION: The inclusion of night eating syndrome into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 'Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders' category should drive the attention of clinician and researchers toward this syndrome that is still defined by evolving diagnostic criteria. The correct identification and assessment of NES could facilitate the detection and the diagnosis of this disorder, whose bio-psycho-social roots support its multifactorial nature. The significant rates of comorbid illnesses associated with NES and the overlapping symptoms with other eating disorders require a focused clinical attention. Treatment options for night eating syndrome include both pharmacological (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, topiramate and melatonergic drugs) and non-pharmachological approaches; the combination of such strategies within a multidisciplinary approach should be addressed in future, well-sized and long-term studies.

Prevalence and psychiatric comorbidities of night-eating behavior in obese bariatric patients: preliminary evidence for a connection between night-eating and bipolar spectrum disorders.

PURPOSE: The co-occurrence of obesity, eating and mood disorders has been frequently reported in clinical and epidemiological settings. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of night-eating obese patients referred for bariatric surgery and to identify associated psychopathology and psychiatric comorbidity. METHODS: The sample was composed of 121 obese patients consecutively enrolled between November 2010 and May 2012 during psychiatric evaluations for bariatric intervention. Clinical features and psychiatric diagnoses were collected. Night-eating was investigated through the administration of the Night-eating Questionnaires (NEQ) and was defined as the presence of self-reported evening hyperphagia and/or nocturnal ingestions. Binge-eating and purging behaviors and general psychopathology were respectively assessed using the Bulimic Investigatory Test, Edinburgh and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised. RESULTS: Night-eating was reported by twenty subjects (16.5%). Patients with night-eating behavior were significantly more frequently diagnosed with bipolar spectrum disorders and with comorbid eating and mood disorders in comparison with other patients. Night-eating patients showed significantly more binging/purging behaviors and greater severity of somatization, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, phobic anxiety, psychoticism and sleep disorders. Patients with bipolar disorder type 1 or 2 scored significantly higher than those without mood disorders at NEQ total score, mood/sleep and nocturnal ingestions subscales, but also scored significantly higher than other patients with mood disorders at the latter subscale. CONCLUSION: Patients with evening hyperphagia and/or nocturnal ingestions should be carefully evaluated to detect possible bipolar spectrum disorders and other eating disorders. Prompt management of these conditions should be provided before bariatric interventions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: V, cross-sectional descriptive study.

Poor appetite and overeating reported by adults in Australia during the coronavirus-19 disease pandemic: a population-based study.

OBJECTIVE: As a result of the coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19) pandemic, Australia adopted emergency measures on 22 March 2020. This study reports the effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on appetite and overeating in Australian adults during the first month of emergency measures. DESIGN: This study reports analysis of data from the population-based, self-completed survey. The main outcome measure was an item from the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 asking: 'Over the past 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by poor appetite or overeating?'. Data on sociodemographic factors, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and the impact of COVID-19 and lockdown were also collected. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine associations with poor appetite or overeating. SETTING: An anonymous online survey available from 3 April to 2 May 2020. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 13 829 Australian residents aged 18 years or over. RESULTS: The weighted prevalence of being bothered by poor appetite or overeating in the past 2 weeks was 53·6 %, with 11·6 % (95 % CI 10·6, 12·6) of the cohort reporting poor appetite or overeating nearly every day. High levels of anxiety, concern about contracting COVID-19, being in lockdown with children and reporting a severe impact of the lockdown were associated with increased odds of poor appetite or overeating. CONCLUSIONS: Given the widespread prevalence of being bothered by poor appetite or overeating, universal public health interventions to address emotion-focused or situational eating during periods of lockdown may be appropriate.

Demographic characteristics and delayed neurological sequelae risk factors in carbon monoxide poisoning.

AIM: Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas and tasteless. CO poisoning (COP) is one of the most frequently encountered inhalation poisonings. The most common cause of morbidity in COP is delayed neurological sequelae (DNS). DNS is the occurrence of neuropsychiatric findings within 2-240 days after discharge of patients with COP and there are no definitive diagnostic criteria. The aim of our study is; to determine the risk factors and incidence of DNS. METHOD: Our study is a retrospective, observational study. Patients with the diagnosis of COP in the emergency department between 2015 and 2016 were included in the study. Patients age, gender, findings in the initial physical examination (PE) and neurological examination (NE), blood carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) level, relation between hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment and DNS were assessed. RESULTS: Total of 72 patients were included in the study. Mean age was 33.43 ±â€¯20.89. It was determined that pathological findings in the initial NE are a significant predictive factor for DNS (Odds ratio 18.600, p:0.004). Significant relation between NE and HBO treatment was present (p:00.1). There was no statistically significant relationship between initial COHb level and receiving HBO treatment (p:0.9). Median COHb level of patients with DNS was 30 (min:10, max: 43), median COHb level of patients without DNS was 25 (min:10, max:44) and there was no statistically significant relationship between the two groups according to COHb levels (p:0.7). CONCLUSION: Pathological findings in the initial neurological examination had a predictive value for delayed neurological sequelae in patients with carbon monoxide poisoning.

Associations between appetitive traits, dietary patterns and weight status of children attending the School Kids Intervention Program.

BACKGROUND: The nexus between appetitive traits, dietary patterns and weight status has predominantly been studied in a mixed sample (healthy weight, overweight and obese sample). AIM: This cross-sectional study examined associations between overweight/obese children's appetitive traits, dietary patterns and weight status. METHODS: We studied children (N = 58, body mass index z-score: 2.25±0.46), 4-12 years attending the School Kids Intervention Program. Children's appetitive traits and dietary patterns were measured with the Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire and Children's Dietary Questionnaire, respectively. Children's height and weight were used to compute body mass index z-score; waist circumference was also measured and waist-to-height ratio was calculated. RESULTS: After controlling for children's age and gender, hierarchical linear regression analyses showed that lower scores for slowness in eating were associated with higher body mass index z-scores in children (ß = -0.31, p = 0.01). Higher scores for emotional overeating were associated with higher waist-to-height ratio in children (ß = 0.48, p = 0.01). Higher scores for fussiness were correlated with lower scores for fruits and vegetables (ß = -0.59, p < 0.001) and higher scores for non-core foods (ß = 0.26, p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Results observed in the current sample of overweight and obese children are consistent with previous studies examining healthy-weight children. Slowness in eating may foster an obesity 'protective' effect, whereas emotional overeating may promote susceptibility to weight gain. Fussy eating may impair diet quality by lower consumption of vegetables and fruits and higher intake of non-core foods. This evidence will support dietitians to consider children's appetitive traits when providing dietary consultation to support obesity management among overweight/obese children.

Overeating and binge eating among immigrants in the United States: new terrain for the healthy immigrant hypothesis.

BACKGROUND: Prior research indicates that, compared to individuals born in the United States (US), immigrants are less likely to experience mental health and inhibitory control problems. However, our understanding of overeating and binge eating-both related to mental health and inhibitory control-among immigrants in the US remains limited. Drawing from a large national study, we report the prevalence of overeating and binge eating among immigrants vis-à-vis the US-born. METHODS: The data source used for the present study is the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC-III, 2012-2013), a nationally representative survey of 36,309 civilian, non-institutionalized adults ages 18 and older in the US. Logistic regression was employed to examine the relationship between immigrant status and key outcomes. RESULTS: The prevalence of any (immigrants = 7.8%, US-born = 17.0%) and recurrent overeating (immigrants = 2.9%, US-born = 5.3%) was lower among immigrants than US-born individuals. Among those reporting recurrent overeating, the prevalence of binge eating with loss of control was comparable among immigrant (37.2%) and US-born participants (39.9%), in general. However, stratified analyses revealed that risk of binge eating with loss of control was lower among immigrant women compared to US-born women (AOR 0.54, 95% CI 0.29-0.98). CONCLUSIONS: Findings from the present study provide clear results that immigrants are substantially less likely to overeat as compared to US-born individuals and that, among women but not men, immigrant status is associated with lower risk of binge eating with loss of control.

Overeating during painful episodes among adults with chronic pain: A preliminary study.

INTRODUCTION: A bidirectional relationship exists between obesity and chronic pain. How the two variables influence one another is unclear, especially in the context of prescription opioid use. The current study aimed to explore the phenomenon of overeating in the context of chronic pain and obesity among adults prescribed opioids. METHODS: Adults with a self-reported pain condition taking a prescription opioid completed surveys for this exploratory study. Participants provided demographic data and reported appetite changes when in pain. Chi-square analyses and analyses of variances (ANVOAs) were conducted to establish baseline comparability among body mass index (BMI) groups. Relative risk ratios were calculated to determine risk for reporting an increased appetite among BMI groups. Participants' responses to an open-ended question on appetite when in pain were analyzed using qualitative descriptive analysis. RESULTS: In total, 219 participants' data were analyzed. Of these, 46.8% reported eating less, 38.2% reported an unchanged appetite, and 11.9% reported eating more to feel better when in pain. Adults with obesity were over three times more likely to report an increased appetite compared to adults with normal weight. Participants reported having either a nutritional or a non-food response to painful episodes. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study supports that some adults with chronic pain follow poor nutritional patterns when in pain which may make weight management difficult. Pain clinicians should assess and counsel clients for overeating or undereating risks to facilitate pain and weight management.

A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Smoking and Weight Eating Episodes Test (SWEET).

INTRODUCTION: The Smoking and Weight Eating Episodes Test (SWEET; Adams et al. 2011) is a self-report measure designed to assess multiple reasons why and when smokers use cigarettes for appetite, weight, and shape management, that was initially developed and validated in young female smokers. PURPOSE: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the factor structure and psychometric properties of the SWEET measure among both male and female daily cigarette smokers. METHOD: Participants (n = 577; Mage = 44.42; SD = 13.80; 52.7% female) were daily smokers recruited through Qualtrics Online Sample for an anonymous study on smoking and health. On average, participants reported smoking for 25.7 years (SD = 14.35), smoked 17.0 cigarettes per day (SD = 8.38), and had moderate levels of tobacco dependence. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analyses supported the initial factor structure found in the original SWEET measure suggesting a four-factor structure fit the data well, but not a one-factor structure. Factors included using cigarettes for appetite suppression, using cigarettes to prevent overeating, smoking to cope with body dissatisfaction, and using cigarettes to cope with appetite-related withdrawal symptoms. Tests of measurement invariance revealed no significant differences when evaluating SWEET scores by participant sex. The SWEET factor scores evidenced internal consistency, known groups validity, convergent validity with related constructs (compensatory eating behaviors, tobacco dependence) and cessation-relevant variables (smoking abstinence expectancies, prior withdrawal symptoms), and discriminant validity with physical activity and sedentary behavior. CONCLUSIONS: The present study provides evidence in support of the validity and reliability of scores on the SWEET as a multidimensional measure of smoking for appetite, weight, and body-related concerns in male and female daily cigarette smokers.

Prevalence of hyperphagia in Alzheimer's disease: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Unlike other behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, hyperphagia is less recognized among patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The prevalence of hyperphagia varies among studies, but there has been no systematic review or meta-analysis. METHODS: An extensive search on the literature on hyperphagia in AD published between 1 January 1980 and 30 October 2017 was conducted. Data on the prevalence were retrieved. Meta-analysis with a random effect model was performed to determine the pooled estimate of prevalence. Meta-regression analysis was performed based on study characteristics, population demographics, or condition information. RESULTS: Results from 20 studies were extracted. Twenty-six reported cases of hyperphagia were identified. The mean age of onset was 70.7 ± 8.9 years, with a male predominance (68.4%). Hyperphagia occurred in all stages of AD. Only eight studies reported the prevalence of hyperphagia. Meta-analysis showed a pooled prevalence of hyperphagia of 18.6%. Publication bias may have been present. Meta-regression showed that ethnicity accounted for the variance among studies (coefficient: -1.247 (95% confidence interval: -1.978 to -0.516), R2 analogue: 0.77, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Hyperphagia occurs in all stages of AD. In this meta-analysis of eight published studies, the prevalence of hyperphagia was 18.6%. In view of the possible publication bias, a large-scale study on hyperphagia is recommended in the future.

Long-term health outcomes in patients with Prader-Willi Syndrome: a nationwide cohort study in Denmark.

BACKGROUND: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare congenital disease that affects growth, sexual development, cognitive function and behavior. Individuals exhibit food preoccupation and hyperphagia, which may lead to obesity with premature morbidity and mortality. The aim of this work was to evaluate the risk of venous thromboembolisms (VTEs), myocardial infarction, pulmonary hypertension, sleep apnea, depression, anxiety and all-cause mortality among persons with PWS as compared with an age- and sex-matched general-population cohort. METHODS: All persons diagnosed with PWS (n=155) were identified in the Danish Health Registries; an age- and sex-matched comparison group was selected from the general population of Denmark (n=15 500); diseases of interest were identified through the health registry and cause of death register. Follow-up began on date of birth or first medical record availability through to first occurrence of an outcome of interest; follow-up ceased at emigration from Denmark or end of study. Incidence rates (IRs) were calculated and Cox's proportional hazards models were used to understand the relative risk (RR) of disease. RESULTS: The IRs for VTE among patients with PWS was 144 (60-347) per 100 000 person-years. Risks for VTE events and all-cause mortality were 9.4 times (95% confidence interval (CI): 3.7-23.5) and 11.0 times (95% CI: 5.7-21.1) higher, respectively, for patients with PWS versus the general population. Increased risks were also found individually for deep venous thromboses (DVTs) (RR: 9.1; 95% CI: 3.2-25.2), pulmonary embolisms (RR: 11.0; 95% CI: 1.4-86.9), myocardial infarction (RR: 7.2; 95% CI: 1.7-30.2) and anxiety (RR: 2.8; 95% CI: 1.0-7.5). No cases of pulmonary hypertension, sleep apnea or depressive disorders were identified within this PWS cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple cardiovascular and behavioral illnesses are more likely to occur among patients with PWS than within the general population. These increased risks may provide an impetus for enhanced disease prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment.

Attentional and motor impulsivity interactively predict 'food addiction' in obese individuals.

BACKGROUND: Impulsivity is a multifaceted construct and constitutes a common risk factor for a range of behaviors associated with poor self-control (e.g., substance use or binge eating). The short form of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-15) measures impulsive behaviors related to attentional (inability to focus attention or concentrate), motor (acting without thinking), and non-planning (lack of future orientation or forethought) impulsivity. Eating-related measures appear to be particularly related to attentional and motor impulsivity and recent findings suggest that interactive effects between these two facets may play a role in eating- and weight-regulation. METHODS: One-hundred thirty-three obese individuals presenting for bariatric surgery (77.4% female) completed the BIS-15 and the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) 2.0, which measures addiction-like eating based on the eleven symptoms of substance use disorder outlined in the fifth version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. RESULTS: Sixty-three participants (47.4%) were classified as being 'food addicted'. Scores on attentional and motor impulsivity interactively predicted 'food addiction' status: higher attentional impulsivity was associated with a higher likelihood of receiving a YFAS 2.0 diagnosis only at high (+1 SD), but not at low (-1 SD) levels of motor impulsivity. CONCLUSIONS: Results support previous findings showing that non-planning impulsivity does not appear to play a role in eating-related self-regulation. Furthermore, this is the first study that shows interactive effects between different impulsivity facets when predicting 'food addiction' in obese individuals. Self-regulatory failure in eating-regulation (e.g., addiction-like overeating) may particularly emerge when both attentional and motor impulsivity levels are elevated.

A qualitative analysis of men's experiences of binge eating.

Binge eating disorder (BED) is characterized by recurrent overeating episodes, accompanied by loss of control (LOC), in the absence of compensatory behaviors. The literature supports that men overeat as often or more often than do women, but they are less likely to endorse LOC and other BED symptoms. Thus, rates of BED are lower among men. However, differences in prevalence rates may reflect gender bias in current conceptualizations of eating disorders and BED diagnostic criteria, not necessarily truly lower rates of disordered eating among men. The purpose of this study was to gather detailed information about how men experience overeating and related body image concerns, to identify common themes. The grounded theory approach was utilized to examine narratives from 11 overweight/obese male college students about their experiences with overeating, with results suggesting that overeating is consistent with male gender role, but LOC is not. Other overeating themes included mindless eating, emotional antecedents, negative consequences, unintentional dietary restriction, and social encouragement to overeat. Participants also reported dissatisfaction with their bodies, a desire for their bodies to be both muscular and thin, concerns related to their physical functioning and health, and a distinction between body image and self-worth. Collectively, these themes suggest further study to more fully explore the features and consequences of how disordered eating and body image concerns may manifest among men.

Night eating among veterans with obesity.

The obesity rate is higher among veterans than the general population, yet few studies have examined their eating behaviors, and none have examined the presence of night eating and related comorbidities. This study examines night eating syndrome (NES) among veterans seeking weight management treatment, and relationships between NES and weight, insomnia, disordered eating, and psychological variables. The sample consisted of 110 veterans referred to a weight management program at VA Connecticut Healthcare System. More than one out of ten veterans screened positive for NES, and one-third screened positive for insomnia. Most individuals screening positive for NES also screened positive for insomnia. Night eating was associated with higher BMI, and with higher scores on measures of binge eating, emotional overeating, and eating disorder symptomatology. Veterans screening positive for NES were also significantly more likely to screen positive for depression and PTSD. When controlling for insomnia, only the relationships between night eating and binge and emotional eating remained significant. Those screening positive for PTSD were more likely to endorse needing to eat to return to sleep. Findings suggest that both NES and insomnia are common among veterans seeking weight management services, and that NES is a marker for additional disordered eating behavior, specifically binge eating and overeating in response to emotions. Additional studies are needed to further delineate the relationships among NES, insomnia, and psychological variables, as well as to examine whether specifically addressing NES within behavioral weight management interventions can improve weight outcomes and problematic eating behaviors.

Social patterning of overeating, binge eating, compensatory behaviours and symptoms of bulimia nervosa in young adult women: results from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health.

OBJECTIVE: To study social patterning of overeating and symptoms of disordered eating in a general population. DESIGN: A representative, population-based cohort study. SETTING: The Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH), Survey 1 in 1996 and Survey 2 in 2000. SUBJECTS: Women (n 12 599) aged 18-23 years completed a questionnaire survey at baseline, of whom 6866 could be studied prospectively. RESULTS: Seventeen per cent of women reported episodes of overeating, 16 % reported binge eating and 10 % reported compensatory behaviours. Almost 4 % of women reported symptoms consistent with bulimia nervosa. Low education, not living with family, perceived financial difficulty (OR=1·8 and 1·3 for women with severe and some financial difficulty, respectively, compared with none) and European language other than English spoken at home (OR=1·5 for European compared with Australian/English) were associated with higher prevalence of binge eating. Furthermore, longitudinal analyses indicated increased risk of persistent binge eating among women with a history of being overweight in childhood, those residing in metropolitan Australia, women with higher BMI, smokers and binge drinkers. CONCLUSIONS: Overeating, binge eating and symptoms of bulimia nervosa are common among young Australian women and cluster with binge drinking. Perceived financial stress appears to increase the risk of binge eating and bulimia nervosa. It is unclear whether women of European origin and those with a history of childhood overweight carry higher risk of binge eating because of genetic or cultural reasons.

Emotional eating as a mediator between depression and weight gain.

Depression is often associated with weight gain but underlying mechanisms are unclear. This study assessed whether three psychological eating styles (emotional eating, external eating and restrained eating) act as mediators between depression and weight gain. We used structural equation modelling to test the hypothesized mediation models in a sample of 298 fathers and 294 mothers by assessing self-reported eating styles (Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire), depressive feelings (Depressive Mood List) and body mass index (BMI) at baseline and BMI after five years. In the model with emotional eating we also assessed the moderation effect of 5-HTTLPR genotype in a sub-sample of 520 Caucasians. All analyses were performed separately for the two sexes. Although the overall effect of depression on weight gain was statistically non-significant in both sexes, there was a causal chain between depression, emotional eating and weight gain in the mothers. Depressive symptoms were related to higher emotional eating and emotional eating predicted greater increases in BMI independently of depression. Moreover, the indirect effect (via emotional eating) of depression on BMI change was significant (Beta = 0.18, P = 0.026). This mediation effect was found to be independent of 5-HTTLPR genotype. No such mediation effect was found for the fathers. Further, external eating and restrained eating did not act as mediators between depression and weight gain in either sex. The finding that emotional eating acted as mediator between depression and weight gain in the mothers suggests that obesity interventions should take emotional eating into account.

The effect of academic stress and attachment stress on stress-eaters and stress-undereaters.

It is well established that stress is related to changes in eating patterns. Some individuals are more likely to increase their overall food intake under conditions of stress, whereas others are more likely to consume less food when stressed. Attachment style has been linked to disordered eating and eating disorders; however, comparisons of eating behaviors under attachment versus other types of stress have yet to be explored. The present laboratory study examined the eating patterns in self-identified stress-undereaters and stress-eaters under various types of stress. More specifically, the study examined the effects of academic and attachment stress on calorie, carbohydrate and sugar consumption within these two groups. Under the guise of critiquing student films, university students viewed either one of two stress-inducing videos (academic stress or attachment stress, both designed to be emotionally arousing) or a control video (designed to be emotionally neutral), and their food intake was recorded. Results demonstrated that the video manipulations were effective in inducing stress. Differential patterns of eating were noted based on group and stress condition. Specifically, stress-undereaters ate fewer calories, carbohydrates and sugars than stress-eaters in the academic stress condition, but not in the attachment stress or control condition. Findings suggest that specific types of stressors may influence eating behaviors differently.

The influence of negative urgency, attentional bias, and emotional dimensions on palatable food consumption.

We tested a theoretical model concerning the role of attentional bias and negative affect in food consumption that offers important advances. We hypothesized that the effects of negative affect manipulations on food consumption vary as a function of trait levels of negative urgency (NU; tendency to act impulsively when distressed), and attentional bias and that the roles of emotional arousal and negative emotional valence differ and should be studied separately. 190 undergraduate women were randomly assigned to either an anger or neutral mood condition. Women in both conditions completed the Food Stroop, in which the presentation of food and neutral words were counterbalanced. After the task, participants were given the opportunity to eat mandarin oranges and/or chocolate candy while the experimenter was out of the room. The type and quantity of food consumed was counted after the participant departed. As hypothesized, the roles of emotional arousal and valence differed and the effect of the induced emotion was moderated by NU. Women high in NU who experienced emotional arousal were more likely to eat candy and consumed more candy than other women. Emotional valence had no effect on candy consumption. Neither increases in emotional arousal or emotional valence influenced attentional bias to food cues. Attentional bias was also unrelated to food consumption. The impact of negative mood inductions on palatable food consumption appears to operate through emotional arousal and not negative emotional valence, and it may operate primarily for women high in NU.

Weight discrimination and unhealthy eating-related behaviors.

Individuals with obesity often experience unfair treatment because of their body weight. Such experiences are associated with binge eating, but less is known about its association with other eating-related behaviors and whether these relations are specific to discrimination based on weight or extend to other attributions for discrimination. The present research uses a large national sample (N = 5129) to examine whether weight discrimination is associated with diet and meal rhythmicity, in addition to overeating, and whether these associations generalize to nine other attributions for discrimination. We found that in addition to overeating, weight discrimination was associated with more frequent consumption of convenience foods and less regular meal timing. These associations were generally similar across sex, age, and race. Discrimination based on ancestry, gender, age, religion, and physical disability were also associated with overeating, which suggests that overeating may be a general coping response to discrimination. Unfair treatment because of body weight is associated with unhealthy eating-related behaviors, which may be one pathway through which weight discrimination increases risk for weight gain and obesity.

Weight-related teasing and internalized weight stigma predict abnormal eating attitudes and behaviours in Emirati female university students.

This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between abnormal eating attitudes, weight teasing, internalized weight stigma and self-esteem in the United Arab Emirates in a sample of 420 female Emirati undergraduate students (mean age = 23.12 years). Participants completed an online survey including validated and reliable measures. Regression and mediation analyses were used to test for relationships between the factors. Thirty percent of respondents had eating disorder symptomatology, and 44% of respondents reported being frequently teased about their weight. Eating disorder symptomatology was positively correlated with being bothered by teasing from family, friends and others, and internalized weight stigma. Weight- and body-related shame and guilt was the strongest predictor of eating disorder symptomatology. Public health authorities should consider these issues as priorities for action in order to improve the health and wellbeing of young women in the UAE. In addition, it is vital that public health and medical services do not inadvertently condone weight-based teasing or enhance weight stigma and shame.