Testing the addictive appetite model of binge eating: The importance of craving, coping, and reward enhancement

Abstract

In the current study, we examine components of the "addictive appetite" model of recurrent binge eating. Specifically, we tested the influence of addictive processes and the influence of emotional regulation processes on recurrent binge eating behaviour. We recruited 79 women in total for the current study: 22 with bulimia nervosa, 26 weight-matched lean comparison women, 15 women with binge eating disorder, and 16 weight-matched overweight/obese comparison women. Participants completed questionnaire assessments of food craving and motivations for eating. Compared with weight-matched comparison women, women with binge-type eating disorders endorse significantly greater levels of food craving, eating for purposes of coping, and eating for purposes of reward enhancement. A cluster analysis revealed that these three traits distinguish women with binge-type eating disorders from weight-matched comparison women. These findings provide support for the addictive appetite model of binge eating behaviour and highlight addictive and emotional regulation processes as potential targets for treatment.

The influence of oxytocin on eating behaviours and stress in women with bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder

“…Subjective stress and cortisol levels are known to be highly related to eating behaviour in healthy women (Epel, Lapidus, McEwen, & Brownell, 2001), and play an even more dominant role in the motivation of eating behaviour in women with bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder (Leslie, Turton, Burgess, Nazar, & Treasure, 2018). The aim of the current study was to explore the impact of the administration of oxytocin on both reward and anxiety-related processes.…”

Twenty Years of the Food Cravings Questionnaires: a Comprehensive Review

“…Second, FCQ-T scores are associated with eating disorders and obesity. Specifically, individuals with bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder have higher FCQ-T scores than individuals without eating disorders, and individuals with obesity have higher FCQ-T scores than individuals with normal weight [35][36][37][38]. Of note, however, is that the association between the FCQ-T and (binge-related) eating disorders is much stronger than the association with obesity and, similarly, the positive correlation between FCQ-T scores and body mass index is usually small (e.g., [13,39]).…”

Food addiction, eating addiction and eating disorders

“…Another study found some overlap between the symptoms of food addiction and BED, however only when addictive traits in binge-type eating disorders are present (67) . This has been described as an addictive appetite model of binge-eating behaviour (68) . The research today suggests that addictive-like aspects of eating may be present in some eating disorder variants.…”