Semistarvation-associated eating behaviors among college binge eaters: a preliminary description and assessment scale.
Binge eating is a consequence of semistarvation in victims of war and famine and in volunteers in rare semistarvation experiments. These behaviors include bizarre mixing of ingredients and adulteration of food; eating inappropriate, soiled, or discarded food; secrecy; deception; and defensiveness. Drastic measures to resist overeating persist long after the semistarvation experience, even when food is plentiful. Binge eating, a central feature of bulimia and sometimes of anorexia nervosa, is prevalent in modern society, but the occurrence and frequency of semistarvation-related behaviors have not been well identified or quantified. A Semistarvation-Associated Behaviors Scale was constructed and administered to 40 college students. Among binge eaters, reports of bizarre semistarvation-like behaviors were common and frequent and were associated with dieting.
Hagan
M M
MM
Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Ohio, USA. haganmm@email.uc.edu
Whitworth
R H
RH
Moss
D E
DE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D002032:Bulimia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D004038:Diet, Reducing / Q000523:psychology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006963:Hyperphagia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013217:Starvation / Q000523:psychology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology