Using ecological momentary assessment to examine interpersonal and affective predictors of loss of control eating in adolescent girls

Abstract

Objective Pediatric loss of control (LOC) eating is predictive of partial- and full-syndrome binge eating disorder. The interpersonal model proposes that LOC eating is used to cope with negative mood states resulting from interpersonal distress, possibly on a momentary level. We therefore examined temporal associations between interpersonal problems, negative affect, and LOC eating among overweight adolescent girls using ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Method Thirty overweight and obese (≥85th body mass index (BMI) percentile; BMI: M = 36.13, SD = 7.49 kg/m2) adolescent females (Age: M = 14.92, SD = 1.54 y; 60.0% African American) who reported at least two LOC episodes in the past month completed self-report momentary ratings of interpersonal problems, state affect, and LOC eating for 2 weeks. A series of 2-level multilevel models with centering within subjects was conducted. Results Between- and within-subjects interpersonal problems (p’s < .05), but not between- (p = .12) or within- (p = .32) subjects negative affect predicted momentary LOC eating. At the between-subjects level, interpersonal problems significantly predicted increases in negative affect (p < 001). Discussion Naturalistic data lend support to the predictive value of interpersonal problems for LOC eating among adolescents. Interventions targeting interpersonal factors on a momentary basis may be useful during this developmental stage.

Neural activation during anticipated peer evaluation and laboratory meal intake in overweight girls with and without loss of control eating

“…19 The interpersonal model proposes that hyperphagia associated with LOC episodes may reflect a response to negative affective states induced by interpersonal conflicts. 19 Our data from retrospective self-reports 20 and ecological momentary assessment in the natural environment 21 generally support this theoretical model in youth.…”

Development and preliminary effectiveness of an innovative treatment for binge eating in racially diverse adolescent girls

“…This is consistent with research indicating that negative affect is associated with LOC eating. 9,26 The coping, self-evaluation, and mindfulness skills taught in LIBER8, as well as the attention to examples involving food-related situations, might have made participants more aware of their eating habits and provided tools to improve these behaviors. For the 2BFit group, the structure and focus on nutrition and physical activity seems to have also made participants more aware of their maladaptive eating habits.…”

“…25 Research supports this model, identifying associations among interpersonal problems, negative affect, and LOC eating. 9,26 Moreover, BE is associated with deficits in emotion regulation skills, 9,27 suggesting that interventions emphasizing coping strategies might prove especially effective in treating this problematic eating behavior. 9,28 …”

Depressed affect and dietary restraint in adolescent boys' and girls' eating in the absence of hunger

“…In a similar vein, while the laboratory has the advantage of controlling the exact conditions under which eating behavior is observed, it is also possible that other stressors that induce state negative affect may impact adolescents’ EAH to a greater extent in their natural environments and that the most significant sources of stress differ individual-to-individual (Redlin, Miltenberger, Crosby, Wolff, & Stickney, 2002). For example, ecological momentary assessment studies indicate that cognitions and emotions associated with food, eating, body image (Hilbert, Rief, Tuschen-Caffier, de Zwaan, & Czaja, 2009), and interpersonal conflict (Ranzenhofer, et al, 2014; Shingleton, et al, 2013) frequently precede disinhibited eating episodes in youth. Thus, a task for future research may be to consider how to use experimental paradigms to evaluate stressors more salient to specific youth at-risk for food disinhibition.…”

“…Thus, a task for future research may be to consider how to use experimental paradigms to evaluate stressors more salient to specific youth at-risk for food disinhibition. Studies of self-reported disinhibited eating behavior in the natural environment frequently characterize negative affect as a single construct (Berg, et al, 2014; Heron, Scott, Sliwinski, & Smyth, 2014; Ranzenhofer, et al, 2014), and there may be meaningful differences in depressed versus stressed affect, for example. Whether the intensity of a specific emotional experience has an influence on energy intake is also an important area of future research.…”