A preliminary analysis of binge episodes: comparison of a treatment-seeking sample of Black and White women.
OBJECTIVE
This study sought to examine differences in the nutritional composition of binges, both qualitatively and quantitatively, between participants with binge eating disorder (BED) and bulimia nervosa (BN) taken from a sample of treatment-seeking Black and White women. Overall qualitative and quantitative differences between diagnostic categories, regardless of ethnicity, were also explored.


METHODS
Patients seeking treatment for eating disorders were assessed on binge content. Black (n=26) and White (n=26) participants were matched on age and body mass index (BMI).


RESULTS
The binges of individuals with BN were lower in percent protein, but higher in calories, carbohydrates, and sugar, than those individuals with BED. However, there was little difference as a function of ethnicity between treatment-seeking Black and White women.


CONCLUSIONS
Preliminary data suggest that health professionals are faced with similar binge eating pathology, regardless of ethnicity, despite, probably, etiologic variation. The importance of the role of ethnicity in the expression of eating disorders is discussed.
Gayle
Jaime L
JL
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg, 710 N. Larke Shore Drive, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. j-gayle@northwestern.edu
Fitzgibbon
Marian L
ML
Martinovich
Zoran
Z
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002032:Bulimia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*