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Peschel SKV, Sigrist C, Voss C, Fürtjes S, Berwanger J, Ollmann TM, Kische H, Rückert F, Koenig J, Beesdo-Baum K. Subclinical patterns of disordered eating behaviors in the daily life of adolescents and young adults from the general population. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 2024; 18:69. [PMID: 38845025 PMCID: PMC11157754 DOI: 10.1186/s13034-024-00752-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disordered eating behaviors (DEBs), a risk factor for the development of eating disorders (EDs), are prevalent in young people and different DEBs frequently co-occur. Previous studies on DEB-patterns have largely used traditional retrospective questionnaires to assess DEBs. In addition, most previous studies did not specifically exclude individuals with clinical EDs, which limits current knowledge concerning purely subclinical patterns of DEBs. In the present study, we aimed to explore phenotypes and group sizes of subclinical patterns of DEBs reported in everyday life via smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) in adolescents and young adults from the general population without lifetime EDs. In secondary analyses, we further aimed to investigate whether DEB-patterns would be associated with additional previously identified risk factors for ED-development. METHODS EMA was conducted in a community sample of 14-21-year-olds from Dresden, Germany, over four days for up to eight times a day and covered engagement in four DEBs: skipping eating, restrained eating, eating large amounts of food, and loss-of-control eating. Data were analyzed from N = 966 individuals without lifetime EDs with an EMA compliance rate of at least 50% (81.9% of the total sample; average compliance: 84.6%). Latent profile analyses were performed to identify subclinical patterns of DEBs, stratified by sex. Associations between symptomatic profiles and ED-risk factors were tested via regression analyses. RESULTS Based on theoretical deliberations, statistical indices, interpretability, and parsimony, a three-profile solution, namely no DEBs, high-mixed DEBs, and low-mixed DEBs, was selected for both sexes. Both symptomatic profiles in both sexes were associated with more unfavorable manifestations in additional ED risk factors compared to the no DEBs profile, with the highest number of associations being observed in the female high-mixed profile. CONCLUSIONS The present findings suggest that problematic manifestations of DEBs in young people may occur even in the absence of an ED diagnosis and that they are associated with additional risk factors for EDs, warranting increased efforts in targeted prevention, early identification and intervention in order to counteract symptom progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie K V Peschel
- Behavioral Epidemiology, Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany.
| | | | - Catharina Voss
- Behavioral Epidemiology, Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Sophia Fürtjes
- Behavioral Epidemiology, Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Johanna Berwanger
- Behavioral Epidemiology, Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Theresa M Ollmann
- Behavioral Epidemiology, Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Hanna Kische
- Behavioral Epidemiology, Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Frank Rückert
- Behavioral Epidemiology, Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Julian Koenig
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Katja Beesdo-Baum
- Behavioral Epidemiology, Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
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Poovey K, Rancourt D. Visceral sensitivity, hunger responsiveness, and satiety responsiveness: Associations between facets of gastrointestinal interoception and disordered eating profiles in an undergraduate sample. Appetite 2024; 196:107252. [PMID: 38355050 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2024.107252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
This preregistered study examined associations between empirically derived profiles of disordered eating in a diverse nonclinical sample and three facets of gastrointestinal (GI) interoception (visceral sensitivity, hunger responsiveness, satiety responsiveness). University students (n = 591; 53.3% women; 23.0% Hispanic) completed the Visceral Sensitivity Index, Adult Eating Behavior Questionnaire, and Eating Pathology Symptom Inventory. Latent profile analysis was conducted in Mplus v8.3 with four behavioral indicators (restricting, binge eating, excessive exercise, purging [binary]). Facets of GI interoception predicting odds of disordered eating profile membership compared to an asymptomatic group were evaluated. Five profiles were identified. Facets of GI interoception differentially predicted odds of membership in disordered eating profiles. However, higher scores on all three facets of GI interoception were associated with increased odds of membership in a high disordered eating profile. The relationship between distinct facets of GI interoception and specific disordered eating patterns appears nuanced, though individuals displaying a range of disordered eating behaviors may exhibit broad GI interoceptive dysfunction. Findings are consistent with the recent emphasis on idiographic treatment approaches for disordered eating and may have implications for screening among university students. Prospective longitudinal work and extension to clinical samples is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kendall Poovey
- Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, 4204 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA.
| | - Diana Rancourt
- Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, 4204 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
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Trolio V, Racine SE. Exploring latent profiles of disordered eating using an indicator of dietary restriction in an undergraduate sample of men and women. Int J Eat Disord 2023; 56:1603-1613. [PMID: 37158655 DOI: 10.1002/eat.23985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Latent class or latent profile analysis (LPA) studies in patients with eating disorders consistently identify a low-weight, restrictive eating subgroup that does not endorse weight/shape concerns. To date, similar studies in samples unselected for disordered eating symptoms have not identified a high restriction-low weight/shape concerns group, which may be due to a lack of inclusion of measures of dietary restriction. METHOD We conducted an LPA using data from 1623 college students (54% female) recruited across three different studies. The Eating Pathology Symptoms Inventory Body Dissatisfaction, Cognitive Restraint, Restricting, and Binge Eating subscales were used as indicators, and body mass index, gender, and dataset were covaried. Purging, excessive exercise, emotion dysregulation, and harmful alcohol use were compared across resulting clusters. RESULTS Fit indices supported a 10-class solution, including five disordered eating groups (largest to smallest): "Elevated General Disordered Eating", "Body Dissatisfied Binge Eating," "Most Severe General Disordered Eating," "Non-Body Dissatisfied Binge Eating," and "Non-Body Dissatisfied Restriction." The "Non-Body Dissatisfied Restriction" group scored as low on other measures of traditional eating pathology and harmful alcohol use as non-disordered eating groups but scored as high on a measure of emotion dysregulation as other disordered eating groups. DISCUSSION This study is the first to identify a latent restrictive eating group that does not endorse traditional disordered eating cognitions in an unselected sample of undergraduate students. Results underscore the importance of using measures of disordered eating behaviors without implied motivation to capture overlooked problematic eating patterns in the population that are distinct from our "traditional" understanding of disordered eating. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE We identified a group of individuals with high levels of restrictive eating but low body dissatisfaction and intent to diet in an unselected adult sample of men and women. Results underscore the need to investigate restrictive eating outside of the traditional lens of body shape concerns. Findings also suggest that individuals with nontraditional eating difficulties may struggle with emotion dysregulation, putting them at risk of poor psychological and relational outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vittoria Trolio
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sarah E Racine
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Romano KA, Stamates A, Heron KE, Braitman AL, Lau-Barraco C. Sex and Racial Differences in Patterns of Disordered Eating and Alcohol Use. Behav Med 2021; 47:272-284. [PMID: 32275196 DOI: 10.1080/08964289.2020.1748862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The present study aimed to determine how young adults' use of disordered eating behaviors (DEBs) and alcohol uniquely cluster with one another, how these clusters differ by sex and race, and map onto health-related correlates. As a part of a cross-sectional study assessing college student health and experiences, female (n = 1,026), male (n = 336), White (n = 640), and Black (n = 561) young adult college students at three universities (Mage = 20.54, SD = 1.80) completed measures assessing DEBs and alcohol use, and physical and mental health. Multigroup mixture modeling was used to identify subgroups of female, male, White, and Black young adults that are characterized by different levels of DEBs (fasting, food avoidance, loss of control eating, overeating) and alcohol use (binge drinking, drinking quantity). Whether group membership relates to theoretically and clinically relevant health correlates (stress, depressive symptoms, sleep health) was examined via auxiliary analyses. Qualitative and quantitative differences were identified in the best-fitting mixture models for female (four groups), male (four groups), White (five groups), and Black (three groups) participants that suggest sex and racial variations exist in patterns of DEBs and alcohol use severity. Generally, classification in groups characterized by moderate to high probabilities of DEBs only, or the combination of moderate to high DEBs and alcohol use, was associated with worse affective concerns across sexes and races. Targeting young adults' DEBs and alcohol use via diversity-informed treatments focused on coping skill development may help promote health and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly A Romano
- Psychology, The Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology
| | - Amy Stamates
- Psychology, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA
| | - Kristin E Heron
- Psychology, The Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology.,Psychology, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA
| | - Abby L Braitman
- Psychology, The Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology.,Psychology, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA
| | - Cathy Lau-Barraco
- Psychology, The Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology.,Psychology, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA
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Romano KA, Lipson SK. Dietary restraint patterns and eating disorder help-seeking. Eat Weight Disord 2021; 26:159-168. [PMID: 31853888 DOI: 10.1007/s40519-019-00833-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Determine whether gender differences exist in associations among central barriers to and facilitators of eating disorder (ED) help-seeking-ED stigma, negative affect, perceived ED treatment need-as a function of individuals' probability of classification within empirically derived groups characterized by different dietary restraint patterns. METHOD As part of the cross-sectional, multi-institute Healthy Bodies Study, women (n = 2215) and men (n = 986) attending three colleges and universities in 2015 completed measures of ED symptoms, affect, and ED help-seeking in an online survey. Structural equation mixture modeling was used to (1) classify women and men, separately, into distinct classes characterized by unique dietary restraint patterns and (2) test associations among the three ED help-seeking barriers and facilitators within each class. RESULTS Five dietary restraint symptoms (food amount limiting attempts, fasting, food avoidance, following food/diet rules, desiring an empty stomach) clustered within four classes among women and three classes among men, which were characterized by qualitative and quantitative similarities and differences. Further, opposite patterns were generally found in associations among the ED help-seeking barriers and facilitators for women versus men as a function of the way dietary restraint symptoms clustered within each class. For example, bivariate associations between worse ED stigma and negative affect relative to greater perceived ED treatment need were both significant only among women in their lowest restraint severity class, whereas these associations were both significant among men in their highest severity class. DISCUSSION These findings can help to increase the reach of ED intervention efforts, including increasing ED help-seeking rates. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly A Romano
- The Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology, 555 Park Avenue, Norfolk, VA, 23504, USA.
- Old Dominion University, 250 Mills Godwin Building, Norfolk, VA, 23529, USA.
| | - Sarah K Lipson
- Department of Health Law Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
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Gonidakis F, Lemonoudi M, Charila D, Varsou E. A study on the interplay between emerging adulthood and eating disorder symptomatology in young adults. Eat Weight Disord 2018; 23:797-805. [PMID: 30066259 DOI: 10.1007/s40519-018-0552-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The primary aim of this study was to investigate the interplay between Arnett's five features of emerging adulthood and ED symptomatology. The secondary aim of the study was to investigate possible gender differences concerning the relation between emerging adulthood and ED symptomatology. METHODS 337 university students (252 females and 85 males) participated in this study. Each participant was asked to anonymously complete the following questionnaires: Inventory of the Dimensions of Emerging Adulthood (IDEA), Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), and Social Physique Anxiety Scale (SPAS). RESULTS The female group scored higher in the EAT-26 diet, SPAS, IDEA self-focus and IDEA total score measurements. Additionally, in the female group, identity exploration was correlated with EAT-26 total and bulimia, experimentation/possibilities with EAT-26 total and diet, and negativity/instability with EAT-26 total, diet and bulimia as well as SPAS score. In the male groups, the only significant correlation was between SPAS and instability/negativity. Finally, identity exploration could predict a higher probability of developing ED (EAT ≥ 20) for both the female and male groups. CONCLUSIONS Emerging adulthood and ED were found to have a close relationship, especially for females. Identity exploration was the emerging adulthood factor that showed the highest relation to ED symptomatology in both the male and female groups. More research is necessary to investigate the specifics of this relationship. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fragiskos Gonidakis
- Eating Disorders Unit, 1st Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece. .,Eginition Hospital, Vas Sofias 74 Str, 11528, Athens, Greece.
| | - Myrto Lemonoudi
- Department of Psychology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Diana Charila
- Department of Psychology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Eleftheria Varsou
- Eating Disorders Unit, 1st Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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