The Perception of Threat from Emotions in Predicting Binge Eating Behaviours in People Who Are Obese and Seeking Treatment for Their Weight

OBJECTIVE

The affect regulation theory suggests that people binge eat to regulate negative emotional states. In this study, we used a basic emotions perspective to consider the role of perceived threat of emotions, emotional suppression and reduced emotional expressiveness in predicting binge eating behaviours in people who are obese.

METHOD

Treatment-seeking participants with obesity (N = 51, body mass index range from 30.8 to 60.2 kg m^-2 ) completed measures of 'perception of threat from emotion' as well as 'emotional expressiveness' and binge eating.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated that perceived threat of sadness predicted binge eating (β = .55, p < .05). Additionally, a mediation analysis revealed that reduced emotional expressiveness mediated the relationship between perceived threat of fear and binge eating (β = .25, 95%).

DISCUSSION

These findings are contextualized within a theoretical perspective that suggests that individuals who binge eat are threatened by certain emotional states and they use binge eating to suppress certain, but not all, emotional states. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

KEY PRACTITIONER MESSAGE

Considering basic emotions within binge eating should be a part of a psychological assessment and treatment. This should consider how emotions could often be perceived as being threatening and their expression is limited. It is possible that the emotions of fear and sadness appear to be particularly threatening within binge eating/obese populations.

Persistent effects of high concentrations of chlorpromazine on 3H-propylbenzilylcholine mustard binding to muscarinic receptors in guinea-pig intestinal muscle strips

Low concentrations of chlorpromazine inhibited the binding of 3H-propylbenzilylcholine mustard (3H-PrBCM) to muscarinic receptors in strips of longitudinal muscle from guinea-pig small intestine in an apparently competitive manner. Higher concentrations of chlorpromazine, corresponding to the prelytic-lytic range on hypotonic erythrocyte haemolysis, produced an inhibition of the binding of 3H-PrBCM which persisted after washing for 1 hr. Neither 10(-6) M atropine nor 10(-3) M carbachol afforded any protection against this effect. There was no significant inhibition of 3H-PrBCM binding after washing for 1 hr when atropine and carbachol were added alone. The curve for the inhibition of 3H-PrBCM binding by methylatropinium in strips pretreated with chlorpromazine showed a small shift to higher concentrations compared with untreated strips, without any significant effect on the Hill coefficient. In contrast, the Hill coefficient for carbachol binding was significantly increased in the chlorpromazine-treated strips.