title: Affect and eating behavior in obese adults with and without elevated depression symptoms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although there is a modest relation between obesity and depression, mechanisms that contribute to this co-occurrence are unclear. This study examined mood and eating behavior among obese adults with and without elevated depression symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Obese adults (N = 50) were subtyped according to a Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) cutoff of 14, indicating "probable depression." Participants with (BDI ≥ 14; n = 15) and without (BDI < 14; n = 35) elevated depression symptoms were compared on affect- and eating-related variables measured via questionnaire and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) using ANCOVA and mixed model regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjusting for group differences in body mass index (BMI; p = .03), participants with elevated depression symptoms reported greater emotional eating via self-report questionnaire [F(1,50) = 4.3; p = .04], as well as more frequent binge eating (Wald χ(2)  = 13.8; p < .001) and higher daily negative affect (Wald χ(2)  = 7.7; p = .005) on EMA recordings. Emotional eating mediated the relationship between depression status and BMI (indirect effect estimate = 3.79; 95% CI = 1.02-7.46).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Emotional eating and binge eating were more commonly reported by obese adults with elevated depression symptoms compared to those without and may occur against a general backdrop of overall low mood. Intervention and prevention programs for obesity and/or depression should address disordered eating to prevent or minimize adverse health consequences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Andrea B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Goldschmidt
authors.forename: Ross D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Crosby
authors.forename: Scott G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Engel
authors.forename: Scott J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Crow
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Carol B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Durkin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002032:Bulimia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: binge eating; depression; ecological momentary assessment; emotional eating; obesity