A comparison of binge-eating triggers between normal-weight and overweight individuals

Abstract

This study compared two well-established antecedents of binge eating (i.e., dietary restraint and negative affect) between normal-weight and overweight individuals. It was hypothesized that endorsement of dietary restraint and negative affect would differ between groups of overweight and normal-weight individuals, as well as differing within each group. Data from 163 undergraduate students (69% female, 53% Caucasian, 85% age 18-21 years) were categorized into an overweight or normal-weight group based upon BMI. Binge-eating antecedents were measured using the Restraint Questionnaire (Herman & Polivy, 1975) and the Binge Eating Adjective Checklist (Davis & Jamieson, 2005). Dietary restraint was significantly higher for the overweight group than for the normal-weight group, and negative affect was a significant predictor of binge eating for the overweight group, but not for the normal-weight group.