Binge eating (BE) involves consuming unusually large amounts of food within a short period and feeling a loss of control. Neurobiological mechanisms underlying BE involve dysregulation of reward and inhibitory control systems, with the endogenous opioid system playing a key role. Opioid antagonists and the combination therapies with bupropion may have potential to reduce BE by affecting the reward system, but evidence regarding their effectiveness remains inconclusive. This meta-analysis reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) exploring the effects of opioid antagonists on BE frequency, BE severity, body weight, and mood.

We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov to identify RCTs published before May 14, 2023,. The primary outcomes were BE severity and frequency. The secondary outcomes were percentage change in body weight and depressive symptoms.

Eight RCTs were included in our analysis. Opioid antagonists significantly reduced BE frequency (standard difference in means [SMD] = -0.624, 95 % confidence interval [CI] = -1.181 to -0.067, p = 0.028) and changes in body weight percentage (SMD = -0.981, 95 % CI = -1.657 to -0.305, p = 0.004), with a moderate-to-large effect size. Conversely, opioid antagonists didn't significantly improve BE severity (Hedges' g = -0.210, 95 % CI = -0.431 to 0.011, p = 0.063) or depressive symptoms (Hedges' g = -0.190, 95 % CI = -0.434 to 0.053, p = 0.125). Meta-regression analysis revealed that the dosage of naltrexone served as a moderator in reducing BE frequency and body weight percentage.

The present meta-analysis indicated that opioid antagonists effectively alleviate BE frequency and reduce percentage loss in body weight.

Designing interventions to change addictive eating behaviours is a complex process and understanding the treatment effect on co-occurring disordered eating behaviours is of importance. This study aimed to explore treatment effects of the TRACE (Targeted Research for Addictive and Compulsive Eating) intervention for addictive eating on eating disorder psychopathology, binge eating, reward driven eating and grazing behaviours.

This study involved secondary analysis of data from a randomised control trial among 175 participants (18-85 yrs) endorsing ≥ 3 Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) symptoms who were randomly allocated to (1) active intervention, (2) passive intervention, or (3) control group. Change in YFAS, EDE-Q 6.0, Binge Eating Scale, RED-X5 and Short Inventory of Grazing scores were assessed at 3-months (immediate post-intervention) and 6-months (3-months post-intervention) follow-up.

Using Linear Mixed Models, from baseline to 3-months there was a significant reduction in eating disorder global scores in the active intervention [mean decrease - 0.6 (95% CI: -0.8, -0.4)], but not in the passive intervention [-0.2 (95% CI: -0.5, 0.1)] or control groups [-0.1 (95% CI: -0.3, 0.1)]. In the active and passive intervention groups there were significant reductions in reward driven eating [-3.8 (95% CI: -4.9, -2.7; -2.5 (95% CI: -3.9, -1.1), respectively], compulsive grazing (-1.8 (95% CI: -2.4, -1.3); -1.1 (95% CI: -1.7, -0.5), respectively] and non-compulsive grazing scores (-1.4 (95% CI: -1.9, -1.0); -1.1 (95% CI: -1.7, -0.4), respectively], but not in the control group. The reduction in binge eating scores over time was similar for all groups. The reduction in addictive eating symptoms from baseline to 3-months was positively associated with the reduction in eating disorder global scores, binge eating, reward driven eating and grazing behaviours (rs ranged from 0.23 to 0.69).

The dietitian-led TRACE intervention which adopted a weight-neutral, harm reduction approach for the management of addictive eating in adults demonstrated positive effects on some co-occurring disordered eating behaviours. Importantly the intervention did not cause any adverse changes in the eating disorder pathologies measured.

Australia New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry ACTRN12621001079831.

The Behavioral Susceptibility Theory posits that food approach/avoidance traits are key genetic contributors to obesity and disordered eating. The genetic tendency to approach/avoid food may manifest with emotional eating (i.e., over or under eating in response to emotional cues). Research indicates that emotional eating (EE) affects long-term success after bariatric surgery, but findings focus mainly on the tendency to overeat in response to negative emotions. The current study examined the role of both emotional over- and under-eating within a pre-bariatric sample, and their association with psychosocial outcomes. Using Latent Class Analysis, responses from 446 participants (74.3% female; 71.5% White, 12.1% African American, 10.3% Hispanic, 4.1% multiracial, 1.1% Other/Unreported; MAge = 42.38, MBMI = 49.15 kg/m2) on the emotional eating subscales of the Adult Eating Behavior Questionnaire were analyzed to identify EE patterns. Participants also responded to measures of emotional distress, quality of life, and disordered eating (e.g., night eating, binge eating, and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder). A four-class solution emerged: (a) emotional over- and undereating (EOE-EUE; 14.4%), (b) emotional overeating (EOE; 25.3%), (c) emotional undereating (EUE; 26.0%), and (d) non-emotional eating (non-EE; 34.3%). Consistent with previous research, the EOE-EUE class exhibited high levels of psychosocial impairment, and emotional eating classes exhibited higher levels of disordered eating compared to the non-emotional eating class. These findings provide a more nuanced understanding of EE within a pre-bariatric population by identifying patterns of both over- and under-eating within individuals and differentially identifying risk factors associated with such patterns. Limitations include the lack of a non-surgery seeking comparison group, potential for response biases, and the reliance on cross-sectional data.

Most eating disorder (ED) etiological models were developed based on symptom presentations experienced by White individuals. This cross-sectional study examined whether the interpersonal model of binge eating is applicable for ethnic minority emerging adults. Participants (N = 424; women: 65.8 %) were recruited via an online study in the United States (US). College students were: American Indian or Alaska Native (20.3 %), Asian (13.7 %), Black or African American (7.8 %), Other minority group (13.2 %), Spanish-origin or Hispanic/Latino (17.92 %), and White (26.42 %). One-fifth (22.9 %) of the sample reported moderately severe binge eating symptoms. Mediation and path invariance analyses explored whether interpersonal problems contributed to binge eating via negative affect, and whether relations differed between non-Hispanic, White and ethnic minority participants. Across the entire sample, interpersonal problems were significantly associated with negative affect and binge eating, and negative affect significantly contributed to binge eating (ps ≤ 0.001). Negative affect significantly mediated the pathway between interpersonal problems and binge eating (95 % CI = 1.05, 2.82). Multigroup results showed that the constrained model had superior fit based on AIC/BIC values and primary regression paths were invariant between models, indicating no significant differences between groups. Results suggest that the interpersonal model of binge eating may be a useful theoretical framework for understanding mechanisms of binge eating among minoritized college students, reiterating the importance of targeting interpersonal and mood symptoms in treatment. Future studies may consider testing associations prospectively and exploring specific types of interpersonal conflict and cultural moderators of this model for different ethnic groups within and beyond the US.

Background: Binge eating disorder (BED) is the most common eating disorder. It is strongly associated with obesity and presents a barrier to effective weight management. This study examined clients' and Guides' experiences of a guided self-help (GSH) intervention for adults with binge eating and obesity, delivered prior to weight management. Methods: Participants were recruited through a behavioural weight management programme and were offered GSH prior to starting. Nine clients with binge eating and four Guides who supported clients were interviewed about their experiences of receiving or facilitating GSH, using an adapted version of the Client Change Interview (CCI)-a semi-structured schedule reflecting on helpful/unhelpful aspects and of the intervention and attributions of change. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Themes were organized under 3 main headings. First, GSH offered something new for both parties and was positively received. Clients were unlikely to have had the space to talk about binge eating before and Guides were positive about offering one-to-one support. Second, participants spoke about a range of positive changes to binge eating and how clients felt about themselves and their social relationships. Third, there was agreement on the importance of clients' relationship with their Guide, the intervention materials, and a helpful mindset as factors facilitating change. Barriers were some aspects of the intervention and the complexity of clients' lives. Conclusions: Offering GSH targeting binge eating prior to weight management was well received. Some tailoring of the approach is recommended, specifically in terms of training for Guides to help in early client engagement. Further research should determine whether the opportunity of GSH for those with binge eating improves the acceptability and effectiveness of later-offered weight management, and the best sequencing of interventions.

Obesity has major psychosocial impacts in adolescents. Anxiety and depression are the most common psychiatric conditions in adolescents suffering from obesity.

To measure and discuss the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in adolescents hospitalized for biopsychosocial assessment of common obesity during multidisciplinary care.

This retrospective monocentric study describes mental disorders over a decade (2012-2021) in 299 adolescents with obesity hospitalized for a global somatic and psychiatric assessment. Patients aged 11-18 were included. Sociodemographic data, psychiatric diagnosis, self-report questionnaires (CDI, Children's Depression Inventory, STAIC, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for children, BES, Binge Eating Scale) were analyzed.

27,4 % of adolescents had an anxiety disorder (AD), 18,7 % had a major depressive disorder (MDD) and 49,2 % had no mental disorder. In multiple regression models, exposure to physical violence (p < 0.01), and the BES score (p < 0.05) were also associated with a risk of AD. Exposure to physical violence, year of admission and the BES score were risk factors for MDD (p < 0.05).

Prevalence of mental disorders is high and increasing, confirming the psychological suffering in adolescent with obesity. Some present with incomplete clinical profiles. MDD and AD are associated with a personal history of violence and a high BES score, reflecting in some adolescents a phenomenon of compensatory binge eating.

Despite reports of high incidence and prevalence, relatively few studies have investigated outcomes for children and adolescents with binge eating disorder (BED) and loss of control (LOC) eating. This study aimed to scope the available literature systematically.

A systematic scoping review methodology was implemented. Five databases (Medline, PsycInfo, Embase, CENTRAL and Scopus) were searched on the 23rd of August 2024 for relevant peer-reviewed journal articles and dissertations. No beginning time point was specified, and the end time point was chosen as the 23rd of August 2024. Restrictions were placed on age (under 20), diagnosis (BED, LOC eating) and study design (quantitative).

Ten quantitative studies were identified: eight randomised controlled trials and two case series. Outcome data for 2400 young people were synthesised. Most studies (70%) had a sample size of fewer than 100 participants. Treatment modalities were heterogeneous and included psychological therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT), interpersonal therapy (IPT) and group schema therapy. One study examined the role of medication. The results suggested that six different treatment modalities (CBT (group and individual), IPT, DBT, family-based IPT (FB-IPT), and medication) were associated with a reduction in the number of binge eating episodes and LOC eating. In terms of other psychological aspects such as depression, anxiety and self-esteem, the data were sparse, and it was difficult to draw meaningful conclusions.

The findings highlight a paucity of evidence-based interventions in this area for young people with BED and LOC eating. This is an emerging and important field in child and adolescent eating disorders as it is now ten years since BED was introduced into the DSM-V with prevalence estimates higher than other eating disorders in this population. As the onset of binge eating often occurs in late childhood or adolescence there is a role for early intervention. Further research into the efficacy of different therapeutic options for this age group is needed. In this review, the authors searched for studies where treatment for binge eating disorder (BED) or loss of control eating (LOC) in young people (under 20 years old) had been trialled. They wanted to see which treatments could improve the mental health of young people with these conditions. To ensure that as many studies as possible were included, five different databases were searched. Ten studies were found and the majority of these were small studies with less than 100 participants. Nine of the studies investigated the role of talking therapies, for example, cognitive behavioural therapy and one study examined how medication helped. The talking therapies used in each of the nine studies were varied. The authors found that, on the whole, talking therapy and medication helped with the number of binge eating episodes and LOC eating but it was less easy to understand if they helped with depression and anxiety which are both commonly associated with BED and LOC eating. The results of this review show that more research is needed into this area as few studies were found and BED and LOC eating are becoming more frequently diagnosed in young people.

Negative urgency (i.e., the tendency to act impulsively when experiencing negative affect) is robustly associated with psychopathology, but the mechanisms underlying negative urgency and its relation to mental health are not well understood. In addition to interfering with cognitive control, negative emotions may lead to impulsive behavior by enhancing reward processing of desired stimuli. In this study, we tested an emotion-enhanced reward-processing model of negative urgency in 153 women who spanned the spectrum of binge-eating severity. Participants completed two experimental tasks under both stressful- and relaxed-mood conditions while physiological, behavioral, and self-report indices of reward processing of palatable food were assessed. Contrary to hypotheses, reward processing of food was not heightened when stressed versus relaxed either in the full sample or in participants with greater negative urgency or binge-eating frequency/severity. Findings are discussed considering study limitations and previous mechanistic work on negative urgency.

A deficiency in autobiographical memory functioning could be of relevance to the maintenance of an eating disorder (ED). Past research has found that people with EDs have difficulties in recalling specific details of autobiographical memories (AM) and in imagining future events. Our aim was to investigate AM and episodic future thinking (EFT) in individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN), binge-type eating disorders (Bulimia Nervosa or Binge Eating Disorders; BN/BED), and healthy controls (HCs) using negative cue words relevant to the experience of being disgusted and morally violated.

Remotely administered computerised versions of the autobiographical memory task (AMT) and the EFT task were used to measure the specificity and vividness of AMs and EFTs. Neutral or negative/moral disgust-relevant cues were used to elicit AMs and EFTs. The relationship between AM specificity and EFT specificity was explored. The predictor role of individual differences in childhood teasing and betrayal sensitivity on the specificity and vividness of AMT and EFTs induced by moral disgust-relevant cues was examined.

Individuals with AN and BN/BED did not have difficulties retrieving specific and vivid details of AMs and imagining future events in both cue conditions. AM specificity predicted EFT specificity in AN and HC groups. Future events primed by neutral cues were rated as more vivid by the control group compared to those induced by negative cues. Participants with EDs who had greater levels of childhood teasing and betrayal sensitivity generated more vivid AMs and EFTs in response to moral disgust-related cues, which was not observed in HCs.

This study did not detect alterations in AMT and EFT characteristics in people with AN or binge-type EDs compared with HCs. The findings were discussed regarding sample characteristics (e.g., illness severity, ethnicity) and methodology (e.g., cue words) in the present study. Individual differences in childhood teasing and betrayal sensitivity may be related to more vivid negative memories and future events, which might increase the salience of past and future victimisation-related events.

Individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia have a two to five-fold higher risk of developing obesity and up to threefold higher risk of developing disordered eating behaviors relative to the general population. Over the past decades, the Eating Attitude Test (EAT) has been well-recognized and widely used in clinical practice. However, only little psychometric information is available on the EAT for researchers and clinicians who deal with patients with schizophrenia, and it is still unclear whether the scale could fulfill measurement needs and help clinical and research decision-making in the context of psychotic disorders. This study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the shortest version of the EAT (EAT-7) among newly-diagnosed patients with schizophrenia who had minimal exposure to antipsychotics at the start of the study.

This is an observational, cross-sectional survey that was carried out in the department of psychiatry at Razi Hospital, Manouba, Tunisia. The study took place between January and June 2024, and involved clinically-stabilized outpatients with schizophrenia who have had < 3 months of treatment with antipsychotics (N = 112; mean age of 24.44 ± 5.41 years).

In terms of factor analysis, the EAT-7 presented a one-dimensional structure. All seven items strongly loaded on a single factor, with all indices of the CFA suggesting a good fit to the data. In addition, the EAT-7 yielded excellent reliability coefficients, with both a McDonald's ω and a Cronbach's α of 0.88. Measurement invariance of the EAT-7 across sex groups was tested using multi-group CFA, and established at the configural, scalar, and metric levels. No significant differences in EAT-7 scores between males and females were found. Finally, EAT-7 scores positively correlated with scores of depression and anxiety, supporting concurrent validity of the scale.

The shortness, items' clarity and conciseness of the EAT-7 make it an efficient tool appropriate as a first-step screening tool to detect disordered eating in patients with schizophrenia at low cost and burden. We hope that this study will facilitate the widespread application of the EAT-7 in routine assessment and monitoring of disordered eating in patients with schizophrenia, in both clinical and research practices.

The present study assessed the links between interoceptive sensibility, binge, disordered (emotional, restrained, and external) and intuitive eating among individuals with obesity (n = 57) and normal weight (n = 29). Individuals with obesity presented lower "attention regulation," "body-listening," and "trusting" interoceptive dimensions. When age was controlled, group differences on "trusting" remained significant. Individuals with obesity showed lower intuitive eating, higher emotional, and binge eating compared to controls. Higher "body listening," "eating for physical rather than emotional reasons," and "reliance on hunger and satiety cues" predicted lower binge eating whereas "external eating" predicted higher binge eating among individuals with obesity. Eating for physical reasons and reliance on hunger and satiety had protective mediating roles in the relationship between external and binge eating in both groups. Interoceptive sensibility and intuitive eating should conjointly serve as psychotherapeutic targets for disordered eating, obesity, and weight management.

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have gained popularity in recent years in treating binge eating. Previous reviews and meta-analyses have found that MBIs demonstrated medium-large to large effects in reducing binge eating. However, as the literature on this topic has been growing rapidly, an updated review on MBIs' effectiveness is much needed. This study is a 10-year update of the Godfrey, Gallo, & Afari (2015) systematic review and meta-analysis of MBIs for binge eating. PubMED, PsycINFO, and Web of Science were searched using keywords including binge eating, overeating, objective bulimic episodes, acceptance and commitment therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, mindfulness, meditation, and mindful eating. Results indicate there has been a large increase in the number of studies testing MBIs for binge eating in the past 10 years with 54 studies meeting inclusion criteria, compared to 19 ten years ago. The majority of the studies yielded large and medium effect sizes. The random effects meta-analysis of between-group effect sizes yielded medium-large effects for MBIs versus non-psychological intervention controls at post-treatment (mean Hedge's g = - 0.65) and follow-up (mean Hedge's g = - 0.71), and negligible effects for MBIs versus active psychological controls at post-treatment (mean Hedge's g = - 0.05) and follow-up (mean Hedge's g = 0.13). Of all MBIs, DBT had the most studies with large effects. More studies examined MBIs that directly targeted binge eating had larger effects than studies with MBIs targeting other health outcomes (with binge eating as a secondary outcome). New studies included in the current review were internationally-conducted, focused more on participants with overweight or obesity, involved more self-help and technology-based components, and had more novel and innovative interventions components. Future MBIs research should conduct more RCTs comparing MBIs with other psychological interventions, conduct meta-analyses to examine the effectiveness of different types of MBIs and intervention targets, and extend follow-up periods.

Binge eating (BE) is associated with psychological distress, functional impairment, and elevated risk of eating disorder diagnoses, and BE prevalence is increasing. Motivational and self-regulatory processes such as delay discounting may be important influences on BE; however, evidence is inconclusive, and lacks explanation of mechanisms. This study investigated how food choice motives mediate the pathway from delay discounting (DD) to BE symptomatology. Adult participants (N = 391, 80% female, mean age 38.93) completed the Monetary Choice Questionnaire (DD), Food Choice Questionnaire (food choice motives), and Binge Eating Scale online. We used structural equation modelling (SEM) to analyse hypothesised partially-mediated pathways from DD to BE via Health, Mood, and Sensory Appeal food choice motives, incorporating participant age, sex, BMI, and Weight Control motives. The best fitting SEM indicated steeper DD was associated with greater BE, but this effect was fully mediated by lesser endorsement of Health motives. Greater endorsement of Mood and Weight Control motives, along with female sex and higher BMI, also accompanied greater BE symptomatology. Counter to hypotheses, Mood and Sensory Appeal did not mediate the relationship between DD and BE. The novel finding that Health motives mediated the effect of DD on BE suggests steeper discounting may hinder the longer-term perspective needed to value the health attributes of food, and thus promote food intake for immediate reinforcement. The significant effects of Weight Control and Mood motives independent of DD suggest support for overvaluation of weight and shape and negative reinforcement mechanisms in the etiology of BE. Our study highlights the influence of food choice motives and DD in BE, and supports the integration of individualised motivational and neurocognitive interventions in eating disorder treatment.

The aim of the study was to identify the prevalence of food addiction (FA) and binge eating (BE) in a general Polish population, to explore the differences between these constructs, and to examine psychological differences among FA, BE, and FA + BE groups. 2123 participants completed the questionnaires: Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0, Binge Eating Scale, The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, Life Events Checklist, Adverse Childhood Experiences, Short UPPS-P scale (impulsive traits), Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale - 21 items. 492 participants reported clinically significant symptoms of FA, BE, or both. Spearman's correlations, Mann-Whitney U tests, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were performed to examine the relationships between variables. The present study showed that FA and BE symptoms are common in the adult sample. The FA, BE and FA + BE groups had higher scores than the control group for all variables included in the study. The FA + BE group presented a significantly higher level of behavioral and emotional symptoms, followed by the FA and the BE group with less severity of symptoms. This study supports the hypothesis of food addiction as a similar construct to BE. FA is a broader concept than BE, but individuals experiencing both indicated the greatest functional difficulties.

Hyperphagia is a condition associated with rare obesity-related diseases, presenting as a pathologic, insatiable hunger accompanied by abnormal food-seeking behaviors. In October 2023, a group of researchers and clinicians with expert knowledge on hyperphagia convened at the annual ObesityWeek meeting to discuss the need for a unified definition of hyperphagia and key items necessary to improve the identification, assessment, and treatment of hyperphagia in patients with melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) pathway-associated diseases.

The definition of hyperphagia proposed by this group is a pathologic, insatiable hunger accompanied by abnormal food-seeking behaviors. Suggested methods to accurately identify patients with hyperphagia include increased physician and parent/caregiver education and standardized efficient screening procedures for use in the clinic. The etiology of hyperphagia as related to abnormal MC4R signaling was also reviewed and proposed as a central cause of the condition across several underlying diseases. Given this potential unified underlying pathology, the expert group recommends that patients with hyperphagia undergo genetic testing and that treatment include comprehensive weight-management strategies incorporating lifestyle and pharmacotherapies targeted at addressing hyperphagia.

The aim of this study was to identify naturally occurring groups of individuals experiencing binge eating (BE) symptoms based on their endorsement of varied functions of BE.

Adults (N = 646) with self-reported BE symptoms were examined using latent profile analysis to identify differentiated profiles based on eight established functions of BE. Profiles were also compared on measures of BE symptoms, eating disorder psychopathology, internal shame, body shame, psychological distress, adverse childhood experiences, and demographic variables.

A four-profile solution was selected balancing goodness-of-fit and interpretability. Profiles identified were Emotion Avoidance, Classic, Emotion Reactivity, and Complex, with profiles differing primarily on emotion- and trauma-related functions of BE, and varying on all associated characteristics examined, with the Complex profile showing the most adverse associations.

The identification of these distinct profiles suggests that individuals present with differentiated, inter-related patterns or reasons for BE. These clinically relevant profiles may inform binge-eating intervention choice and the targeting of specific maintenance factors within profiles. Further research is needed to examine the clinical utility of these profiles in informing the most suitable psychological treatment for an individual.

Background. Food addiction is often linked to overeating and difficulty in controlling eating habits. At the same time, food addiction is often associated with intense eating-related thoughts and emotional eating behaviors. However, despite extensive research on food addiction, the psychological processes that contribute to these outcomes have not been fully examined. Consequently, this study aims to fill that gap by investigating the influence of eating-related thoughts, as well as emotional eating behaviors that may precede episodes of uncontrolled eating. Methods. A cross-sectional design was used. A sample of 467 individuals was enrolled from the general population. Participants completed a battery of self-report questionnaires. A sequential mediation analysis with latent variables (i.e., structural equation modeling; SEM) using 5000 bootstrap samples and observed variables was performed. Results. The proposed model provides good fit indices. Indeed, food addiction predicts uncontrolled eating behaviors through eating-related thoughts (p < 0.001), which were also significantly associated with the emotion-driven eating patterns (p < 0.001), revealing a fully mediated model explaining 61.6% of the outcome variance (R2 = 0.616). Discussion. The findings underscore the critical influence of cognitive factors (i.e., eating-related thoughts) in driving maladaptive coping mechanisms like emotional eating. Moreover, emotional eating may act as a precursor to behaviors associated with overeating, which are often rooted in food addiction. Conclusions. Recognizing the central role of thoughts and emotions can help clinicians develop more targeted psychological interventions for those experiencing food addiction symptoms.

Empirical research and theory support the interaction of executive functions (e.g., inhibitory control, working memory) and emotion regulation in guiding goal-oriented behavior; however, applications to eating pathology (e.g., binge eating) are limited. Such research is scant with adults with overweight/obesity (AwO/O), a population reporting high levels of binge eating, emotion regulation difficulties, and deficits in inhibitory control and working memory. We tested interactions between emotion regulation and executive functioning in relation to eating pathology in AwO/O while considering stimuli-specific deficits (e.g., food-specific deficits) in behavioral task performance.

AwO/O (N = 204; MBMI = 32.11; Mage = 38.30 [SD = 12.16]) completed a preregistered, online study assessing demographics and emotion regulation difficulties (Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale), inhibitory control (go/no-go task, food and general stimuli), working memory (N-Back Task, food and general stimuli), binge eating (Binge Eating Scale), and disordered eating (Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire).

There was limited evidence of moderation in models examining food-specific and general inhibitory control and working memory, emotion regulation difficulties, and binge eating. Preliminary support was found for emotion regulation difficulties to be more strongly associated with more disordered eating in AwO/O reporting more food-specific and general working memory deficits. Consistent, positive associations between emotion regulation difficulties and eating pathology were observed.

Among adults with AwO/O, emotion regulation difficulties are closely related to eating pathology, regardless of performance on working memory and inhibitory control tasks. Clinicians and researchers working with AwO/O may consider how emotion regulation difficulties and working memory deficits work together to influence disordered eating.

Knowledge is growing on the essential role of neural circuits involved in aberrant cognitive control and reward sensitivity for the onset and maintenance of binge eating.

To investigate how the brain's reward (bottom-up) and inhibition control (top-down) systems potentially and dynamically interact to contribute to subclinical binge eating.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired from 30 binge eaters and 29 controls while participants performed a food reward Go/NoGo task. Dynamic causal modelling with the parametric empirical Bayes framework, a novel brain connectivity technique, was used to examine between-group differences in the directional influence between reward and executive control regions. We explored the proximal risk factors for binge eating and its neural basis, and assessed the predictive ability of neural indices on future disordered eating and body weight.

The binge eating group relative to controls displayed fewer reward-inhibition undirectional and directional synchronisations (i.e. medial orbitofrontal cortex [mOFC]-superior parietal gyrus [SPG] connectivity, mOFC → SPG excitatory connectivity) during food reward_nogo condition. Trait impulsivity is a key proximal factor that could weaken the mOFC-SPG connectivity and exacerbate binge eating. Crucially, this core mOFC-SPG connectivity successfully predicted binge eating frequency 6 months later.

These findings point to a particularly important role of the bottom-up interactions between cortical reward and frontoparietal control circuits in subclinical binge eating, which offers novel insights into the neural hierarchical mechanisms underlying problematic eating, and may have implications for the early identification of individuals suffering from strong binge eating-associated symptomatology in the general population.

Obesity is a complex heterogeneous disease often associated with dysfunctional eating behavior patterns. Oxytocin (OT) is a neurohormone involved in the regulation of energy metabolism and eating behavior. The aim of the present study was to evaluate in a population of patients with obesity circulating levels of OT and dysfunctional eating behaviors in relation to anthropometric, hormonal and metabolic parameters.

A prospective, observational, single-center study was conducted at the Center of High Specialization for the Care of Obesity of Sapienza University of Rome. Adult subjects with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2 were recruited. Body impedance assessment (BIA), biochemical and hormonal parameters, plasma OT concentration analysis and the Eating Behaviors Assessment for Obesity (EBA-O) questionnaire were evaluated.

A total of 21 patients, 16 females and 5 males, with a mean age of 45.7 ± 15.1 years, mean BMI of 40.89 ± 8.02 kg/m2 and plasma OT concentration of 1365.61 ± 438.03 pg/mL were recruited. The dysfunctional eating behavior traits investigated by the EBA-O appear significantly associated with metabolic derangements. In particular, night eating is associated with alterations in lipid metabolism (p < 0.01). Circulating OT correlates positively with BMI (r = 0,43; p < 0.05), and Hepatic Steatosis Index (HIS) (r = 0.46; p < 0.05), while its role in subjects with obesity and alterations in glucose metabolism is less clear. Interestingly, circulating OT levels < 1312.55 pg/mL may be predictive of food addiction (100% sensitivity; 62.5% specificity).

Despite the need for larger studies to confirm their validity, the clinical utility of the EBA-O and circulating OT in identifying dysfunctional eating behaviors appears promising.

Background/Objectives: Binge eating (BE) is associated with physical and psychological consequences, such as obesity and reduced quality of life. The relationship between binge eating and childhood experiences of interpersonal trauma has been explored, yet few studies focus on the processes that may explain this association. In this regard, some personality traits and maladaptive cognitive-emotional regulation may help explain this relationship, as they have been associated, respectively, with BE and childhood interpersonal trauma. The purpose of this study is to explore the complex processes that link childhood interpersonal trauma and BE in a French-Canadian clinical adult population with obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2). Methods: This cross-sectional study included 148 participants aged 21 to 72, predominantly women of White ethnic background with a university degree, who were seeking treatment for eating or weight-related issues. They completed self-report questionnaires assessing maltreatment and bullying, BE, maladaptive cognitive-emotional regulation, and personality. Two multiple mediation models were tested to examine the indirect effects of personality and maladaptive regulation in the relationship between bullying and BE, as well as between maltreatment and BE. Results: The results revealed a significant indirect relationship between maltreatment and binge eating (BE), with personality traits and maladaptive cognitive-emotional regulation partially explaining this association. No direct effect was found for bullying, but a significant total indirect effect indicated that personality traits and maladaptive cognitive-emotional regulation play a mediating role in the relationship between bullying and BE. Finaly, self-directedness was found as a unique and significant contributor in both mediation models. Conclusions: This study draws attention to the multiple contributing factors in the relationship between interpersonal trauma and BE in adults with obesity. Further research is needed to gain a deeper understanding of the role of personality and maladaptive cognitive-emotional regulation in this relationship by focusing on individuals' experiences.

Bing eating disorder (BED) has been associated with a number of health problems. Remarkably little research has been done to measure dietary intake in people who suffer from binge eating disorder. This study aimed to compare the dietary intake and nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR) between BED individuals and those without BED and also to investigate the association between BED and NAR.

In this cross- sectional study, 180 overweight and obese females who aged between 19 and 50 years old and with BMI between 25 and 40 kg/m2 were interviewed. The women were categorized into BED and non- BED groups based on their earned score in Binge Eating Scale (BES) questionnaire. Nutritional adequacy ratio was assessed as Micronutrient adequacy ratio, Macronutrient adequacy ratio and total adequacy ratio (the sum of the previous two) based on last year's dietary intakes collected using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The odds of binge eating disorder across the nutritional adequacy scores were assessed using multiple logistic regression models. Data were analyzed using SPSS software.

About 41.6% (n = 75) of the subjects were diagnosed with BED. Carbohydrate, saturated fats, sugar levels were significantly higher in women with BED compared to non-BED women (P < 0.05). All vitamins, with the exception of Retinol, and all minerals' levels were significantly lower in BED participants (P < 0.05). Micronutrient adequacy score and total adequacy score differed significantly between individuals with and without BED (P < 0.001) and non- BED group were significantly more nutritional adequate. The odds of having BED were lower in micronutrient, macronutrient adequate individuals (OR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.78-0.98, P = 0.02), (OR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.66-0.99, P = 0.049) respectively.

Overall, the results demonstrate low intake of key micronutrients and high intake of saturated fatty acids and carbohydrates among binge sufferers. Also, the findings indicate that individuals with BED experience a notably lower nutrient adequacy ratio compared to their peers without the disorder, suggesting that the eating behaviors associated with BED such as high consumption of processed foods and diet with low quality may lead to inadequate intake of vital nutrients.

Background: Altered eating behaviors (AEBs) are not only associated with eating disorders but also play a role in obesity. This study assessed AEBs in individuals with obesity and their association with general and eating psychopathology, using the "Eating Behaviors Assessment for Obesity" (EBA-O). The hypothesis posited that a higher frequency of pathological eating behaviors would correlate with more severe psychopathology. Methods: Participants seeking weight loss treatment answered the EBA-O and other measures of eating and general psychopathology. The analysis employed MANOVA to estimate psychopathological variance based on AEBs and a cluster analysis to identify patient clusters by AEB type and number. Results: Out of the 244 participants, approximately two-thirds reported clinically relevant AEBs, with almost half exhibiting more than two AEBs. Predominant AEBs included sweet eating, binge eating, and hyperphagia. A significant impact of the numbers of AEBs on both eating and general psychopathology severity (p < 0.001; η2 = 0.167) was evident. Three clusters emerged, with Cluster 3 showing the highest AEB frequency and greater psychopathological impairment. Conclusions: The present findings confirm the correlation between the frequency of AEBs and the severity of general and eating psychopathology in individuals with obesity. AEBs deserve clinical attention, and their screening might aid their clinical characterization and foster more tailored treatments.

Obesity is a multifactorial and chronic disease, constantly growing in prevalence. Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (MBS) is among the most effective therapies for obesity, determining consistent long-term weight loss and maintenance. Increasing evidence suggests a relevant mental health contribution to obesity pathogenesis. European and International Guidelines for MBS emphasize the importance of a pre-surgical psychological/psychiatric assessment and a post-surgical follow-up to improve MBS outcomes. Yet, no standard psychological/psychiatric procedures currently exist.

This paper overviews the psychological/psychiatric procedures which Italian mental health providers currently perform on MBS candidates to provide psychological support through every step of the MBS, from the assessment to the postsurgical follow-up, to evaluate eligibility, prevent mental health flare-ups and weight regain, as endorsed by the Board of the Italian Society of Surgery for Obesity and Metabolic Diseases (SICOB).

The psychological/psychiatric procedures should encompass two phases: pre-surgical assessment and post-surgical follow-up. Pre-surgical assessment should investigate every condition that might reduce the MBS effectiveness or contraindicate the surgical process. It must include a mental state evaluation, weight history, eating behavior, body image, psychosocial conditions, and motivation. The post-surgical follow-up should offer psychological support to patients in achieving weight loss and maintenance. It should also prevent the onset or recurrence of psychiatric disorders that may affect clinical outcomes.

This paper is the first to introduce a standardized protocol for psychological/psychiatric procedures for each phase of the surgical process, to allow MBS candidates to receive similar care despite geographical differences. It also serves as a potential clinical model for assessing mental eligibility or contraindications prior to MBS, and subsequently support the individual behavioral and lifestyle changes to achieve and maintain weight loss.

To investigate Feeding and Eating Disorders (FED) heterogeneity based on the co-occurrence of FED symptoms and personality psychopathology, on the hypothesis that empirical profiles would not confirm current FED categories but identify unique phenotypes carrying different levels of clinical complexity.

Latent Profile Analysis profiled FED patients based on the assessment of both FED symptoms, through the Eating Disorders Inventory, third version (EDI-3), and personality characteristics, through the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2. Then, profiles were compared across socio-demographic and clinical characteristics.

Among 109 eligible patients, three FED profiles were identified: (i) FED simplex (low eating symptoms, absence of dysfunctional personality); (ii) FED simplex-severe (high eating symptoms only); and (iii) FED complex-severe (high eating symptoms and dysfunctional personality). Despite an uneven distribution (χ2(6) = 15.20, adjusted-p = 0.029), FED profiles did not unequivocally confirm clinical diagnoses (e.g., Anorexia Nervosa). A difference in Body Mass Index (BMI) was observed (K(2) = 15.06, adjusted-p = 0.001), but lower BMI did not identify the most severe group. Profiles differed in EDI-3 overall scores (e.g., Eating Disorder Risk Composite: K(2) = 43.08, adjusted-p < 0.001), Body Uneasiness Test Global Severity Index (GSI: K(2) = 29.33, adjusted-p < 0.001), Binge Eating Scale severity (K(2) = 25.49, adjusted-p < 0.001), number of psychiatric (K(2) = 8.79, adjusted-p = 0.021) and personality diagnoses (K(2) = 11.86, adjusted-p = 0.005), and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised GSI (F(2,103) = 37.68, adjusted-p < 0.001), with FED complex-severe patients being generally the most severely impaired in terms of FED symptoms, body concerns, depersonalization, and psychiatric comorbidities.

Findings support the hypothesis of distinguishing FED simplex and complex phenotypes, based on the co-occurrence of dysfunctional personality, with implications for FED severity and clinical practice.

The CCBRS is a multidimensional assessment tool developed to aid in the psychosocial evaluation of patients seeking bariatric surgery. To date, three studies support the interrater reliability, internal consistency, and predictive validity of the CCBRS for a number of postoperative outcomes. However, research has predominantly been with White females. This study examines the reliability of the CCBRS with diverse individuals from three surgery clinics. The relative contribution of demographic and psychosocial variables to overall CCBRS ratings and differences in overall CCBRS ratings based on these factors are also explored.

Patients seeking bariatric surgery (n = 407; 86.2% female; 49.6% Black; mean BMI 48.3 kg/m2, SD = 8.5) were evaluated with a standardized multimodal assessment. CCBRS domain and overall ratings were made based on the integration of assessment data. Patient weight, BMI, and weight loss surgery procedure were obtained from the initial bariatric surgery consult.

Internal consistency of the CCBRS was good (Cronbach's alpha = .80) for this sample though lower than previously found. Most patients (75.6%) were cleared for surgery. Statistically significant differences in overall CCBRS ratings were found only based on employment status and referring clinic. Hierarchical regression analysis demonstrated a small effect for demographic and psychosocial factors, with only past alcohol abuse, current substance abuse, and referring clinic explaining statistically significant variance in overall CCBRS ratings.

Results support the reliability of the CCBRS; however, additional research is needed with diverse populations.

For more than 30 years, clinical practice guidelines for the perioperative support of patients who undergo metabolic and bariatric surgery have recommended a formal psychological evaluation before surgery. However, the predictive utility of the evaluation in determining future outcomes has been mixed, leading to controversy regarding whether such evaluations should be required for all potential patients. This empirically based commentary will review the utility and value of the psychological evaluation in addition to the limitations in the extant literature that reduce predictive validity and provide recommendations on how to improve quality of the empirical literature and refinements to increase the utility of preoperative evaluations. Pre-metabolic and bariatric surgery psychological evaluation conducted by an appropriately trained clinician and properly reimbursed by the payor that includes time for psychological testing, integration of data, report writing, medical record review, and feedback to the patient and surgical team, should continue to be the standard of care as it benefits all stakeholders.

Liver transplantation (LT) associates with weight gain and metabolic complications. However, risk of eating disorders post-transplantation and factors influencing their onset remain poorly understood. This study aimed to fill this knowledge gap by characterizing the risk of having eating disorders or Orthorexia Nervosa (ON) according to the EAT-26, BES and Bratman screening questionnaires in 104 liver transplant recipients (mean age 62.5 years; median time from LT 6 years) with type 2 diabetes and/or overweight/obesity. Eighty-two patients (78.9 %) had diabetes; mean BMI was 30.1 ± 5.9 kg/m2. Risk of eating disorders was observed in 6.9 %-10.8 % and the risk of orthorexia (Bratman test score > 4) was observed in 60.5 % of patients. A significant association was found between BMI and the likelihood of having eating disorders considering EAT-26 (OR = 0.17, p = .009). The absence of a direct link between diabetes and the risk of having eating disorders suggest multifactorial influences on post-transplant eating behaviors. The study highlights the importance of proactive screening to evaluate eating behaviors in liver transplant recipients to define tailored interventions and optimize post-transplant outcomes. Limitations refer to the observational nature of the study and the absence of pre-transplant data. Further research is warranted to validate these findings, elucidate temporal relationship between transplantation and the onset of eating disorders, and explore potential mechanisms underlying these associations. Such insights are crucial for developing effective strategies to mitigate the impact of eating disorders on post-transplant health and well-being.

Weight regain after bariatric surgery remains a relevant and worrisome topic, requiring greater understanding and involvement in research into new adjuvant treatments. This study aims to compare the preliminary effectiveness and feasibility of the Mindfulness-Based Health Promotion and Attachment-Based Compassion Therapy programs as opposed to usual treatments (workshops) on the eating behavior of patients with progressive weight gain after bariatric surgery in Brazilian patients at a private clinic. It was hypothesized that both interventions are feasible and that the self-compassion program may be more effective than the mindfulness program.

The study will be divided into two phases: a cross-analytical study of those who underwent bariatric surgery and a randomized controlled trial only with the ones who had weight regain. Interventions will be conducted for eight weeks synchronously with three assessment points (baseline, post intervention, and 6-month follow-up), both online. The primary outcome will be a change in eating behavior. Secondary outcomes will include improved quality of life, enhanced body image satisfaction and reduced distortion (Brazilian Silhouette Scales for adults), better weight management (maintenance or weight reduction), increased frequency of activity and monitoring with the surgery team. Qualitative data will also be collected by online identification of a sub-sample of participants.

Improvements are expected in eating behavior, weight, reverse progressive weight gain, classification of self-image, quality of life, and levels of mindfulness, self-compassion, and anxiety.

This study seeks to gather preliminary evidence on the effectiveness of mindfulness and compassion training for the adjunctive treatment of progressive weight gain in post-bariatric patients. Clinical Trials.gov Registration ID: NCT04171713.

Disgust is a powerful emotion that evolved to protect us from contamination and diseases; it also cores to very human feelings, such as shame. In anorexia nervosa, most of the knowledge on disgust regards food. However, disgust can be elicited by varied drivers, including body-related self-disgust, which may be more central to this condition. Here, we investigate in depth how disgust triggers related to the body influence altered representations in anorexia nervosa. Women with anorexia nervosa and healthy women performed the Hand Laterality Task, in which they were asked to judge the laterality of hands without and with a disgust charging feature (i.e., with a body product or with a body violation). We computed accuracy and reaction time for the effect of biomechanical constraints, an index of motor imagery. We also measured the general disgust sensitivity through a self-report questionnaire. Participants with anorexia nervosa were overall less accurate and slower compared with controls, suggesting a non-canonical (i.e., not based on motor imagery) approach to solving the task. However, they showed the same pattern of responses as controls for disgust-charged stimuli, despite reporting higher levels of disgust sensitivity. Our results suggested the absence of specific effects of disgust drivers on the (altered) body in action representation in anorexia nervosa. We discuss this evidence focusing on the role of the psychopathological symptoms characterising anorexia nervosa. We also reflect on the efficacy of experimental methodologies used to detect alterations in body representation in this clinical condition.

Obesity is a multifactorial chronic disease treated through lifestyle modifications, pharmacotherapy, and surgery. With the rise of social media, platforms like Instagram have become tools for lifestyle interventions. This study evaluated the impact of a cognitive-behavioral-therapy-based nutritional intervention via Instagram on body weight, eating behavior, and mental health in individuals with overweight and obesity.

A 5-week online intervention delivered daily nutritional, cognitive, and behavioral content via a private Instagram account using live sessions, reels, feed posts, polls, and stories. Standardized dietary plans were sent by e-mail. Self-reported weight and waist circumference and questionnaires on eating behavior, self-esteem, stress, and anxiety were collected. Engagement and interaction were measured through comments, likes, number of followers, story retention, participation in live sessions, and direct messages.

The final sample included 66 participants (63 women), 27 with overweight and 39 with obesity, and a mean age of 40.5 ± 10.6 years. After the intervention, body weight decreased by 1.1 kg, while waist circumference remained unchanged. Participants with obesity showed significant improvements in binge eating, uncontrolled eating, self-esteem, stress, and anxiety, while those with overweight showed improvements in binge eating and stress. Weight loss was associated with reduced binge eating and lower cognitive restriction, while lower uncontrolled eating was related to decreased emotional eating, anxiety, and stress. Additionally, participation in live sessions was associated with reduced binge eating.

This online intervention via Instagram was effective in improving weight loss, eating behavior, and mental health symptoms in participants with overweight and obesity.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with disordered eating/eating disorders, but prior meta-analyses are limited by small numbers.

To inform the 2023 International PCOS Guideline, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the prevalence of disordered eating/eating disorders among women with and without PCOS.

Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycInfo, and All EMB were searched from inception through February 1, 2024, for studies that compared prevalences of eating disordered/disordered eating in adolescent or adult women. Random effects meta-analyses were used to estimate the pooled odds ratios (OR) or standardized mean differences (SMD) of outcomes in women with PCOS compared to controls. Methodological quality was assessed by the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) system, and included studies were assessed for risk of bias.

Of 1352 articles identified, 20 were included, with a total of 28 922 women with PCOS and 258 619 controls. Individuals with PCOS had higher odds of any eating disorder (OR: 1.53 [1.29, 1.82], 8 studies), which persisted in studies where PCOS was diagnosed by Rotterdam criteria (OR: 2.88 [1.55, 5.34], 4 studies). Odds of bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and disordered eating, but not anorexia nervosa, were increased in PCOS. Mean disordered eating scores were higher in PCOS (SMD: 0.52 [0.28, 0.77], 13 studies), including when stratified by normal and higher weight body mass index. Most included studies were of moderate quality, with no evidence of publication bias.

Our study informs the 2023 PCOS Guideline recommendations for consideration of the risk of disordered eating/ eating disorders in care of women with PCOS, regardless of weight, especially during providing lifestyle counseling.

Anorexia nervosa severely impacts the physical body and mental body (i.e., body image). In this retrospective study, we investigated the relationship between the perceived body image and body composition in women with anorexia nervosa. Specifically, we aimed to verify what components (i.e., weight, body composition, and micronutrients) may predict a higher number of symptoms of negative body image in this clinical condition.

Weight status and body composition, including the expressions of vitamins, and body image concerns were measured in a sample of 112 women with anorexia nervosa (age in years M = 26.78; SD = 12; range = 14-67).

According to the regression analysis, a higher skeletal muscle mass and a higher concentration of vitamin B6 seemed to predict a higher number of symptoms of negative body image in our sample.

This study pointed out muscle mass and the concentration of vitamin B6 as involved in the psychological expression of body image concerns in anorexia nervosa, especially at the beginning of the disease. Thus, we may suggest including and monitoring these parameters in routine care for anorexia nervosa.

Binge-eating behavior and anxiety disorders pose a significant public health issue worldwide, as it has severe implications for both the physical and mental health of the adolescent population. The present study evaluated the prevalence of binge-eating behavior, anxiety disorders, and associated factors among the northern Saudi adolescent population. Furthermore, we assessed the correlation between binge eating and anxiety.

The present population-based cross-sectional study was carried out among adolescents in the Aljouf region of Saudi Arabia from June 2023 to December 2023. A total of 384 eligible participants were selected using the convenience sampling method. The present study used a pretested Arabic version of the binge eating scale (BES) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) to assess the binge-eating behavior and anxiety disorders among the target population. The Spearman correlation test determined the strength and direction of the correlation between BES and HAM-A scores. Furthermore, logistic regression analysis was applied to find the associated factors for binge-eating behavior among the study participants.

Of the 384 participants, moderate and severe binge-eating behaviors were found among 11.2% and 8.3% of the respondents, respectively. Regarding the severity of anxiety as assessed by the HAM-A scale, mild, moderate, and severe anxiety were shown among 12.8%, 9.6%, and 7.5% of the participants, respectively. Also, the study found a positive correlation between binge eating and anxiety scores, with a correlation coefficient of 0.26 and a p-value of 0.001. Furthermore, being female (p = 0.001), moderate (p = 0.004), and severe anxiety (P = 0.001) were significantly associated with binge-eating behavior.

The present research findings advocate for the implementation of targeted interventions and support services aimed at decreasing binge-eating behavior and anxiety, thereby promoting the overall well-being of adolescents and building stronger future generations. Moreover, it is recommended that optional courses about binge eating be incorporated into the curricula of schools and universities.

To understand why some individuals who develop alcohol use disorders (AUD) first begin to drink heavily, a number of scales have been developed that index aspects of alcohol craving and restraint from drinking. We developed a new measure called the Alcohol Consumption Questionnaire (ACQ), based in part on items modified from scales used to index binge eating, because there are data to suggest that binge eating and binge drinking may share common antecedents. We present an initial validity study using data from a sample of Mexican Americans.

Data were from 699 Mexican American young adults in San Diego County, CA. A subsample (n = 60) had short-term test-retest data. Factor analysis and reliability assessment guided item reduction. Item response theory (IRT) analyses quantified item severity and identified questions with differential item functioning (DIF). Logistic regression assessed associations of mean scale scores with AUD, adjusting for key demographics, alcohol expectancies and subjective response to alcohol. We also examined associations with a protective genetic variant downstream from the alcohol dehydrogenase 7 (ADH7) gene.

The scale was reduced from 20 to 14 questions, which can be summarized by a single overall score (Cronbach's alpha = 0.896) or by two sub-scores (Consumption: 12 items, Cronbach's alpha = 0.896; Enjoyment: 2 items, Cronbach's alpha = 0.780). Test-retest reliability was very high (0.80-0.98) in this sample. The overall ACQ score and each subdomain score were strongly associated with AUD (ORs = 5.95 mild; 11.41 moderate; 48.56 severe) and family history of AUD. Respondents with the protective genetic variant had significantly lower overall ACQ scores (p < 0.001).

The ACQ is a novel measure of alcohol consumption with strong relationships with both the AUD phenotype and ADH7 gene variants in a sample of Mexican American young adults.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the efficacy of online Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Binge Eating Disorder (DBT-BED) in reducing eating psychopathology and investigate the factors that influence the severity and frequency of binge eating. Seventy-three individuals seeking treatment for BED participated in 20 two-hour group sessions. Participants completed the Emotional Eating Scale (EES), Binge Eating Scale (BES), and Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) before and after the treatment and at three- and six-month follow-ups. Results from 58 participants were analyzed. The study results indicated a significant decrease in objective binge eating (OBE) days, as well as in all EES, BES, and EDE-Q subscales (except the Restraint subscale), and global EDE-Q score at the end of treatment and follow-ups. Moreover, the Body Mass Index (BMI) reduced at the end of treatment and during the follow-up period. Except for the Restraint subscale, more OBE days were linked with higher EES, BES, and EDE-Q scores. Overall, the study suggests that online DBT-BED is an effective approach to treating Binge Eating Disorder (BED) for individuals who cannot receive in-person therapy. Further research is necessary to compare the efficacy of online DBT-BED with other interventions.

When individuals follow a diet or limit their food intake, they activate cognitive restraint, which is defined as a mental effort to restrict dietary behavior with the goal of losing weight. As an example, fasting has also been associated with the recruitment of cognitive restraint, but further research is needed to fully understand its underlying mechanisms.

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the duration of fasting and disordered eating, such as food cravings, binge eating, and potential changes in eating habits.

An online survey was conducted among 853 first-semester university students to investigate their fasting practices and frequency over a three-month period prior to data collection. Participants who were on diets were excluded (n=214). After controlling the sample for biases, a comparison was made between 89 fasters and 369 non-fasters. The study compared levels of cognitive restraint, binge eating, food cravings, and consumption of 'forbidden' foods. A Poisson model was used to examine the association between hours of fasting and disordered eating traits. In the context of this study, the rate ratio was used to examine the relationship between fasting hours and disordered eating characteristics, such as binge eating and food cravings.

The study found that fasters experienced an increase in food cravings and binge eating. However, fasters consumed fewer bread slices than non-fasters. The rate ratio of fasting hours practiced is 115% higher among binge eaters (RR 2.15; CI95% 1.70-2.73) compared to those who did not binge. The rate ratio of fasting hours is 29% higher in participants with moderate binge eating (RR 1.29; CI95% 1.05-1.59), increasing to 140% (RR 2.40; CI95% 1.86-3.11) in people with severe binge eating. As for food cravings (state), the rate ratio was 2% higher (RR 1.02; CI 95% 1.01-1.03) for each increase in the unit of the scale.

Our study has indicated that fasting is positively associated with increased levels of binge eating and food cravings.

Yoga is effective in binge eating disorder (BED) treatment, but it does not seem effective enough to improve low physical fitness. In contrast, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is effective in improving physical fitness but has never been studied in the context of BED. In the study, 47 young inactive females with mild to moderate BED were recruited and randomly assigned to a HIIT group (HIIT), a Yoga group (YG), or a control group (CG; age, 19.47 ± 0.74, 19.69 ± 0.874, and 19.44 ± 0.63 years; BMI, 21.07 ± 1.66, 21.95 ± 2.67, and 20.68 ± 2.61 kg/m2, respectively). The intervention groups participated in 8-week specific exercises, while the CG maintained their usual daily activity. Before and after the training, participants were evaluated for BED using the binge eating scale (BES) and for physical fitness. The obtained data were compared within groups and between groups, and a correlation analysis between BES and physical fitness parameters was performed. After the training, the YG presented significant improvements in BES (- 20.25%, p = 0.006, ηp2 = 0.408), fat mass (FM, - 3.13%, p = 0.033, ηp2 = 0.269), and maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max, 11.51%, p = 0.000, ηp2 = 0.601), whereas the HIIT showed significant improvements in body weight (BW, - 1.78%, p = 0.006, ηp2 = 0.433), FM (- 3.94%, p = 0.033, ηp2 = 0.285), and BMI (- 1.80%, p = 0.006, ηp2 = 0.428), but not in BES. Comparisons between groups revealed that both HIIT and YG had significantly higher VO2max levels than CG (HIIT 12.82%, p = 0.006, ηp2 = 0.088; YG: 11.90%, p = 0.009, ηp2 = 0.088) with no difference between HIIT and YG. Additionally, YG presented significantly lower BES than both HIIT (15.45%, p = 0.02, ηp2 = 0.03) and CG (11.91%, p = 0.022, ηp2 = 0.03). In conclusion, Yoga is an effective treatment for BED, but HIIT is not, despite its high efficacy in improving physical fitness.

Metabolic/bariatric surgery (MBS) is the most effective treatment for obesity, yet many factors influence successful individual weight loss. Among those are a variety of health behaviors that are assessed in the process of presurgical psychological evaluations, including eating pathology and sleep disturbance (both of which are relatively common among surgical candidates).

This study aims to examine the relationship between sleep, binge eating, and night eating behaviors among individuals seeking MBS.

Medical center and private psychological practice in Mississippi.

Patients (N = 311) seeking presurgical psychological evaluations for bariatric surgery completed self-report measures. Of these, 83.0% were females and 70.7% of those with ethnicity data identified as White. Average body mass index (BMI) in the sample was 46.5 (standard deviation [SD] = 8.02). Correlations between variables were calculated and examination of the indirect effect of sleep disturbance on night eating as mediated by binge eating was conducted.

Sleep disturbance, binge eating, and night eating were significantly associated (b = .22-.45). Mediation analysis yielded a significant indirect effect, indicating that binge eating propensity explains the relationship between impaired sleep and night eating symptoms (b = .09, standard error [SE] = .03, confidence interval [CI]: .04-.18).

The observed relationship between sleep disturbance, night eating, and binge eating among bariatric candidates provides implications for future research and treatment approaches. Specifically, additional attention to sleep disturbance in the presurgical assessment process and consideration of sleep hygiene as a potential target for intervention may facilitate improvements in overall health, adjustment, and sustained weight loss.

Depression and eating disorders are heightened for adolescents with obesity. Clinical reviews alongside self-report questionnaires are important to ensure appropriate intervention.

To evaluate changes in self-report symptoms of depression, eating disorders, and binge eating in adolescents with obesity during the Fast Track to Health trial.

This was a randomized clinical trial conducted from 2018 to 2023. It was a multisite trial conducted at children's hospitals in Sydney, New South Wales, and Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and included adolescents (13-17 years) with obesity (defined as adult equivalent body mass index ≥30; calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) and 1 or more related complications.

Duration was 52 weeks including a very low energy diet for 4 weeks followed by intermittent energy restriction (IER) or continuous energy restriction (CER).

Self-report symptoms of depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Revised 10-Item Version for Adolescents [CESDR-10]; scores 0-30), eating disorders (Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire [EDE-Q]; scores 0-6), and binge eating (Binge Eating Scale [BES]; scores 0-46) were assessed. Adolescents were screened for depression and eating disorders (weeks 0, 4, 16, and 52) and monitored for the onset of new symptoms of disordered eating during dietetic consults.

Of 141 adolescents (median [IQR] age, 14.8 [12.9-17.9] years; 71 male [50.4%]) enrolled, median baseline EDE-Q score was 2.28 (IQR, 1.43-3.14), median baseline CESDR-10 score was 9.00 (IQR, 4.00-14.50), and median baseline BES score was 11.00 (IQR, 5.00-17.00). There were no differences between groups for change in CESDR-10 (mean difference at week 52, 0.75; 95% CI, -1.86 to 3.37), EDE-Q (mean difference at week 52, 0.02; 95% CI, -0.41 to 0.45), or BES (mean difference at week 52, -2.91; 95% CI, -5.87 to 0.05). The within-group reductions at week 4 were maintained at week 52, for CESDR-10 and EDE-Q, indicating reduced symptoms of depression and eating disorders. Within-group reductions on the BES were maintained in the IER group only. Seventeen adolescents (12.1%) required support or referral for depression and/or disordered eating, including 7 (5%; 5 IER, 2 CER) adolescents who experienced the onset or reemergence of symptoms during the intervention.

Results suggest that many treatment-seeking adolescents with obesity self-reported symptoms of depression and eating disorders. Although symptoms reduced for most, some required additional support. Obesity treatment is an opportune time to screen and monitor for depression and disordered eating.

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12617001630303.

Background/Objectives: Food cravings involve a strong drive to consume palatable foods irrespective of nutritional status. Importantly, cravings contribute substantially to the obesity epidemic. Managing hunger alone is insufficient for weight management as this relates only to homeostatic eating and does not address the complex aetiology of hedonic eating and its crucial role in food cravings. Medical weight management clinics and anti-obesity medication trials do not routinely identify and address food cravings. Methods: We conducted a narrative review of the literature consisting of 115 peer-reviewed articles (original articles and reviews). We included articles focused on food craving pathophysiology, assessment, and management strategies providing contrasts against the current medical model of weight management seen in obesity pharmacotherapy trials as well as the current standard of practise. Results: We outline the neurohormonal and psychological drivers of cravings, which lead to a spectrum of eating behaviours, from comfort food eating to binge eating disorders. We provide an overview of ways of identification and measurement options, including their strengths and weaknesses, and an overview of management strategies and their cravings control efficacy, spanning lifestyle modifications like nutrition and sleep, psychological therapies (i.e., cognitive behavioural therapy [CBT], acceptance-based therapies such as mindfulness) and, last but not least, medications that not only are approved for weight reduction but reduce cravings. Finally, based on these findings, we provide a proposed integrated and iterative model that is able to evolve and adapt to the individual over time in tackling cravings for long-term weight loss maintenance. Conclusions: The findings emphasise the importance of cravings management and provide a synthesis on how cravings can be identified in a medical weight management setting, which can be practically implemented in an integrated iterative model spanning anti-obesity medications that have craving control data to evidence-based lifestyle and psychological interventions.

Food addiction (FA) is strongly associated with depressive symptoms. The reliability and validity of the Modified Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (mYFAS 2.0) were not previously determined in clinical samples in Brazil. This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the mYFAS 2.0 in adult individuals with depressive disorders.

The data stems from a survey investigating FA in a convenience sample of subjects diagnosed with a depressive disorder. Participants answered mYFAS 2.0 and scales for binge eating, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and alcohol and nicotine use. Height and weight were measured to calculate the Body Mass Index (BMI). We evaluated the factor structure, reliability, convergent, discriminant, criterion, and incremental validity.

The sample encompassed 303 participants with a mean age of 37.03 ± 11.72 years, 84.16% of whom were women. The Cronbach's alpha for the mYFAS 2.0 was satisfactory (alpha = 0.915). The best goodness-of-fit model was a single factor, and mYFAS 2.0 showed convergent validity with binge eating and discriminant validity with the alcohol and nicotine use measures. Food addiction presented a weak positive correlation with depressive and anxiety symptoms and BMI. Three food addiction symptoms provided the best balance between sensitivity (80.95%) and specificity (74.81%). Incremental validity over binge eating symptoms was confirmed (t = 4.040, β = 0.681, p < 0.001).

The Brazilian mYFAS 2.0 performed satisfactorily in this clinical sample of participants with a depressive disorder. These findings suggest it may be a brief, useful, and valid food addiction screening tool for this group.

Weight suppression (WS), the difference between an individual's current and highest adult weight, is predictive of eating-related pathology across diagnostic categories and poor eating disorder treatment outcomes, but findings from non-clinical samples have been mixed. Cravings are strong urges for specific foods that are subjectively difficult to resist. Food cravings are now widely conceptualized as cognitive-affective states characterized by intrusive thoughts that are perceived as distressing and can interfere with adaptive functioning. Food cravings are known antecedents of binge eating, but little is known about how they interact with WS. We examined the obsessive-compulsive aspects of food cravings as potential moderators of the association between WS and eating disorder symptoms in general, and binge eating specifically in a cross-sectional study of college students. Participants (n = 144, 60.4% female) self-reported their height and current and past highest adult weight and completed the Binge Eating Scale (BES), Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q), and Obsessive Compulsive Eating Scale (OCES). Main and interactive effects of WS and OCES scores on EDE-Q global and BES scores were examined in regression models. There were significant main effects of OCES scores on overall eating disorder symptom severity as well as binge frequency, with those endorsing more craving-related intrusive thoughts and compulsive urges engaging in maladaptive behaviors more frequently. WS alone did not consistently cross-sectionally predict eating disorder psychopathology. Findings suggest that food cravings are significantly associated with disordered eating symptoms and specifically binge eating frequency and should be accounted for in future research on WS in clinical and non-clinical samples.