Emotional Eating in Eating Disorders: A Comprehensive Study

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Table of Contents

Introduction to ED/BMI
Introduction to Emotional Eating/ED Psychopathology
Methodology
Discussion
Reference

Introduction to ED/BMI

Eating disorders and their association with body mass index (BMI).

Three main eating disorders (ED) include:

Anorexia nervosa (AN);
Bulimia nervosa (BN);
Binge-eating disorder (BED).

Introduction to Emotional Eating/ED Psychopathology

Eating concerning adverse emotions and ED psychopathology. Maladaptive of Overeating and BED. Analysis of emotional eating concerning under- and overeating is important.

Objective/Hypothesis

Diverse subtypes of ED demonstrate such dysfunctional eating behaviors in response to emotions as overeating and/or restriction. Emotional eating compares with BMI, which also varies between EDs and thus, confounds this comparison.

Methodology

Participants: Female ED patients (n = 204) and healthy controls (HCs; n = 172 ranging from lean to overweight).

Measures:

Salzburg emotional eating scale (SEES).

Procedures
Data Analysis

Results of Emotions on EDs

Sadness eating scores were lowest in ANR and increased to AN-BP, BN, and up to BED. Anger eating scores were lowest in AN-R and increased to AN-BP, BN, and up to BED. Anxiety eating scores were lowest in ANR and increased to AN-BP, BN, to BED. Happiness eating scores were lowest in BED and increased to BN, AN-BP, to AN-R (Reichenberger et al., 2021).

Results on BMI and BMI-Matched HCs

In HCs, high BMI was linked with:

higher anger, sadness, anxiety, lower happiness eating

In AN-R:

lowest negative emotions and higher happiness to BMI-matched HCs
AN-R showed less happiness eating (Reichenberger et al., 2021)

Discussion

Negative emotional and happiness eating configurations contrast across EDs. BMI-independent emotional eating designs segregate ED subgroups. The types of emotional eating can signify positive targets directed at psychotherapeutic mediations (Reichenberger et al., 2021).

Strength, Limitation, and Future

Research Strength

thorough interview diagnostics o large sample sizes o Inclusion of a large control group with a broad BMI range.

Limitation

used of psychometric design;
self-report questionnaire.

Future Research

measuring actual food intake in the laboratory;
the patient group of AN-BP was relatively small; groups differed concerning age;
participants were female;
the participants (especially AN and BN) had a prior understanding of eating.

Clinical Implication and Outlook

Psychotherapeutic treatment. The direction of eating. Change, valence, and nature of the trigger of emotions.

Reference

Reichenberger, J., Schnepper, R., Arend, A., Richard, A., Voderholzer, U., Naab, S., & Blechert, J. (2021). Emotional eating across different eating disorders and the role of body mass, restriction, and binge eating. International Journal Of Eating Disorders, 1(12), 1-12.