Binge eating-related concerns and depressive symptoms in young adulthood: Seven-year longitudinal associations and differences by race/ethnicity.

This study used longitudinal data from Waves III (baseline; mean age = 21.77 years) and IV (follow-up; mean age = 28.76 years) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (N = 12,040). Linear regression models were run to examine associations between binge eating-related concerns at baseline and depressive symptoms at follow-up, adjusting for demographic covariates, baseline body mass index, and baseline depressive symptoms. RESULTS: At baseline, 5.9% of participants reported embarrassment over amount eaten, 2.1% reported fear of losing control over eating, and 0.9% reported both binge eating-related concerns. In adjusted models, embarrassment over amount eaten (B = 0.81, p < .001), fear of losing control over eating (B = 1.57, p < .001), and endorsement of both binge eating-related concerns (B = 1.75, p < .001) at baseline were associated with higher depressive symptoms seven years later. The association between fear of losing control over eating and depressive symptoms differed by race/ethnicity (p = .001). Fear of losing control over eating was associated with higher depressive symptoms among non-Hispanic whites (B = 2.51, p < .001) and Asians/Pacific Islanders (B = 2.54, p = .009) but not among non-Hispanic blacks (B = -0.55, p = .48) or Hispanics/Latinos (B = -0.11, p = .92). DISCUSSION: Binge eating-related concerns may contribute to depression ri...
Source: Eating Behaviors - Category: Eating Disorders & Weight Management Authors: Tags: Eat Behav Source Type: research