Daily stress, coping, and dietary restraint in binge eating.
OBJECTIVE
The current study evaluated whether psychological stress, use of specific coping strategies, and trait dietary restraint would prospectively predict binge eating episodes.


METHODS
After completing a baseline measure of restraint, 46 binge eating college women kept daily diaries assessing depressed affect, stress, coping, and binge eating for 30 days.


RESULTS
Regardless of level of depressed mood, higher stress was associated with increased risk of same-day binge eating; distraction coping was associated with increased risk of future binge eating; social support was associated with decreased risk of same-day binge eating; and women with high versus low dietary restraint showed different patterns of relationship for stress, coping, and binge eating.


CONCLUSIONS
Vulnerability to binge eating in women who differ in terms of dietary restraint level may vary as a function of their coping responses to stress. Results highlight the complexities of stress and coping in binge eating.
Freeman
Lisa M Yacono
LM
Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. diarystudy@drlisafreeman.com
Gil
Karen M
KM
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002032:Bulimia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*