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Assessment of executive functioning in binge‐eating disorder independent of weight status
Author(s) -
Eneva Kalina T.,
Arlt Jean M.,
Yiu Angelina,
Murray Susan M.,
Chen Eunice Y.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/eat.22738
Subject(s) - overweight , binge eating disorder , psychology , cognitive flexibility , working memory , executive functions , underweight , psychomotor learning , obesity , developmental psychology , binge eating , cognition , eating disorders , clinical psychology , psychiatry , medicine , bulimia nervosa
Objective Executive functioning (EF) problems may serve as vulnerability or maintenance factors for Binge‐Eating Disorder (BED). However, it is unclear if EF problems observed in BED are related to overweight status or BED status. The current study extends this literature by examining EF in overweight and normal‐weight BED compared to weight‐matched controls. Method Participants were normal‐weight women with BED ( n = 23), overweight BED ( n = 32), overweight healthy controls ( n = 48), and normal‐weight healthy controls ( n = 29). The EF battery utilized tests from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Toolbox and Delis‐Kaplan Executive Function System (D‐KEFS). Results After controlling for years of education and minority status, overweight individuals performed more poorly than normal‐weight individuals on a task of cognitive flexibility requiring generativity ( p < .01), and speed on psychomotor performance tasks ( p = .01). Normal‐weight and overweight BED performed worse on working memory tasks compared to controls ( p = .04). Unexpectedly, normal‐weight BED individuals out‐performed all other groups on an inhibitory control task ( p < .01). No significant differences were found between the four groups on tasks of planning. Discussion Regardless of weight status, BED is associated with working memory problems. Replication of the finding that normal‐weight BED is associated with enhanced inhibitory control is needed.