Salivary cortisol and binge eating disorder in obese women after surgery for morbid obesity.
BACKGROUND
Binge eating episodes characterized by loss of control are hypothesized to be accompanied by changes in hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis functioning. Cortisol is an end product of this neuroendocrine stress system.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine the cortisol levels and the awakening cortisol response (ACR) in obese persons showing binge eating after surgery for morbid obesity.


METHODS
Sixteen obese women with binge eating disorder (BED) and 18 obese women without BED participated in the study. Means+/-SD: age 43 +/- 15, body mass index 40 +/- 8. Salivary cortisol, anthropometric assessments, and the eating disorder examination interview were taken.


RESULTS
Women with BED showed a significantly lower waist-to-hip ratio and cortisol levels during the day than women without BED, whereas the ACR did not differ.


CONCLUSIONS
Our cross-sectional study in a small sample generates the hypothesis that neuroendocrine regulation differs between obese women with and without BED after obesity surgery. This finding needs replication in future studies that should also examine the causal direction of the observed association.
Larsen
Junilla K
JK
Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands. j.larsen@pwo.ru.nl
van Ramshorst
Bert
B
van Doornen
Lorenz J P
LJ
Geenen
Rinie
R
D000328:Adult; D019540:Area Under Curve; D050110:Bariatric Surgery; D056912:Binge-Eating Disorder / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis*; D007118:Immunoassay; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D013997:Time Factors; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
D006854:Hydrocortisone