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Depression, stress and body fat are associated with binge eating in a community sample of African American and Hispanic women

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Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among depressive symptoms, stress and severity of binge eating symptoms in a community sample of African American and Hispanic or Latina women.

Method

Women (African American, n = 127; Hispanic or Latina, n = 44) completed measures of body composition, stress, depression, and binge eating.

Results

Scores on a depressive symptom scale indicated that 24.0 % of participants exhibited clinically significant levels of depressive symptoms. Mean binge eating scores were below the threshold for clinically diagnosed binge eating (12.99 ± 7.90). Mean stressful event scores were 25.86 ± 14.26 and the average stress impact score was 78.36 ± 55.43. Linear regression models found that body composition, stress impact score, and being classified as having clinically significant levels of depression were associated with severity of binge eating symptoms.

Conclusion

Higher levels of percent body fat, a CES-D score ≥16 and higher WSI-Impact scores were associated with greater severity of binge eating symptoms.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health and Human Performance, Texas Obesity Research Center, University of Houston, 3855 Holman Street, Garrison Gymnasium Rm 104, Houston, TX, 77204-6015, USA

    Heather J. Adamus-Leach, Penny L. Wilson, Daniel P. O’Connor, Scherezade K. Mama & Rebecca E. Lee

  2. BRG-Tulane Internal Medicine Residency Program, 3600 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA, 70806, USA

    Paula C. Rhode

Authors
  1. Heather J. Adamus-Leach
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  2. Penny L. Wilson
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  3. Daniel P. O’Connor
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  4. Paula C. Rhode
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  5. Scherezade K. Mama
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  6. Rebecca E. Lee
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rebecca E. Lee.

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Adamus-Leach, H.J., Wilson, P.L., O’Connor, D.P. et al. Depression, stress and body fat are associated with binge eating in a community sample of African American and Hispanic women. Eat Weight Disord 18, 221–227 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-013-0021-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-013-0021-3

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