Stress‐induced laboratory eating behavior in obese women with binge eating disorder

Objective: To compare the microstructural eating behavior of obese patients with and without binge eating disorder (BED) after stress induction in laboratory. Method: Forty‐eight obese women were investigated. Seventeen were assigned to the group of BED. Group (BED vs. non‐BED) by condition (stress vs. no stress) interaction effect on feeding variables, measured by a universal eating monitor, was tested. Stress was induced by the trier social stress test (TSST) and chocolate pudding served as laboratory food. Results: From the nonstress to the stress condition, patients with BED, when compared with non‐BED had a greater increase in average eating rate ( p < .01) and a corresponding greater increase in the frequency of spoonfuls ( p < .02). The BED group also showed a different change in acceleration/deceleration from the nonstress to the stress condition compared to the non‐BED group ( p < .04). Discussion: Obese individuals with BED appear to exhibit a different response to stress than obese non‐BED individuals and individuals with bulimia nervosa. © 2009 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2009