title: Binge eating among racial minority groups in the United States: an integrative review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Binge eating (BE) is a disordered eating behavior that has been linked to the development of eating disorders and obesity, with the latter being a condition with higher prevalence rates among some racial minority groups. Although researchers have begun to examine characteristics of BE among racial minority groups, it is unclear how these differ from White populations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article provides an integrative review of published literature within the past decade reporting on the characteristics of BE in minority compared with White racial groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Health care computerized databases were searched using key terms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighteen research studies met the inclusion criteria. More than half of the studies reviewed reported racial differences in some aspect of BE; however, heterogeneity in the definition and measurement of BE limits the ability to compare findings across studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BE is reported across racial groups. To determine whether meaningful differences in BE exist by race, further studies using the same conceptual and operational definitions of BE are needed.
authors.affiliation: Karen M. Jennings, MS, RN, PMHNP-BC, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA jenninkf@bc.edu.
authors.forename: Karen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Jennings
authors.affiliation: Susan Kelly-Weeder, PhD, FNP-BC, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kelly-Weeder
authors.affiliation: Barbara E. Wolfe, PhD, RN, CS, FAAN, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Barbara E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Wolfe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002032:Bulimia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: binge eating; ethnicity; loss of control; minority; race