title: Prevalence of and risk factors for binge eating behaviour in 6930 adults starting a weight loss or maintenance programme.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Conflicting data are available on the prevalence of binge eating behaviour (BE) in individuals seeking to lose or maintain weight. The present study aimed to estimate the prevalence of and the risk factors for BE in a large sample of men and women starting a weight loss or maintenance programme.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study. BE was defined as a Binge Eating Scale (BES) score ≥18. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Italian Depression Questionnaire were used to assess anxiety and depression. Besides sex, age and BMI, marital status, educational level, smoking and physical activity were evaluated as potential risk factors for BE. Uni- and multivariable Poisson working regression models were used to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) and marginal probabilities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nutritional research centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adults (n 6930; 72 % women) with a median age of 46 years (range 18-81 years) were consecutively studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BE prevalence in the pooled sample was 17 %. At multivariable analysis, being a woman (PR=2·70), smoking (PR=1·15) and increasing BMI (PR=1·05 for 1 kg/m(2) increase) were risk factors for BE. On the contrary, being older (PR=0·99 for 1-year increase), performing physical activity (PR=0·89) and being married (PR=0·88) were protective factors for BE. Anxiety and depression were more common in subjects with BE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BE is common in individuals seeking to lose or maintain weight. The prevalence of BE is higher in young obese women. However, BE is present also in men, elders and normal-weight subjects.
authors.affiliation: 1International Center for the Assessment of Nutritional Status (ICANS),Department of Food,Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DEFENS),University of Milan,Via Botticelli 21,20133 Milan,Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bertoli
authors.affiliation: 1International Center for the Assessment of Nutritional Status (ICANS),Department of Food,Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DEFENS),University of Milan,Via Botticelli 21,20133 Milan,Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.affiliation: 1International Center for the Assessment of Nutritional Status (ICANS),Department of Food,Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DEFENS),University of Milan,Via Botticelli 21,20133 Milan,Italy.
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ponissi
authors.affiliation: 1International Center for the Assessment of Nutritional Status (ICANS),Department of Food,Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DEFENS),University of Milan,Via Botticelli 21,20133 Milan,Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bedogni
authors.affiliation: 1International Center for the Assessment of Nutritional Status (ICANS),Department of Food,Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DEFENS),University of Milan,Via Botticelli 21,20133 Milan,Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Beggio
authors.affiliation: 3Department of Health Sciences,School of Medicine,University of Milan-Bicocca,Milan,Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Strepparava
authors.affiliation: 1International Center for the Assessment of Nutritional Status (ICANS),Department of Food,Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DEFENS),University of Milan,Via Botticelli 21,20133 Milan,Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Battezzati
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002032:Bulimia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D061217:Weight Reduction Programs; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anxiety; Binge eating; Cross-sectional study; Depression; Epidemiology; Obesity; Weight loss