title: Onset of binge eating and dieting in overweight women: implications for etiology, associated features and treatment.
abstract: This study investigated differences between overweight binge eating women who reported the onset of binge eating prior to or following the onset of dieting (binged first [BF], or dieted first [DF]). Of overweight binge eating subjects enrolled in a treatment study, 38.7% indicated binge eating first, and 48.1% dieting first. The mean age of onset of binge eating differed significantly between the two groups (11.8 years vs. 25.7 years). More of the BF group (82.5%) satisfied proposed binge eating disorder (BED) criteria than did the DF group (52.0%), although short of significantly. The results suggest that: (a) the leading hypothesis concerning dieting as a cause of binge eating does not apply to a substantial number of individuals who binge eat; (b) there may be an early pattern and a late pattern in the development of binge eating among overweight individuals; and (c) the early or binge first pattern may be more likely to result in BED.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Fargo 58102, USA. dabbott@plains.nodak.edu
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Abbott
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Zwaan
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Mussell
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Raymond
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Seim
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Crow
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Crosby
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004038:Diet, Reducing / Q000523:psychology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006963:Hyperphagia / Q000523:psychology*; D007206:Individuality; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000523:psychology*