The current investigation used qualitative methodology to examine adolescent girls’ perceptions of control over their eating, as well as triggers, and consequences of binge and related eating behaviors. Focus groups were completed with 19 adolescent girls (aged 13-17, 58% African American, 41% White) who endorsed the behaviors. Responses to focus group questions were qualitatively analyzed using a grounded theory approach and constant comparison coding. Results reflected a fundamental lack of awareness of the loss of control (LOC) eating behaviors. Yet, the data did reflect a central theme of the need to affirm independence and autonomy through eating behaviors via three distinct pathways; asserting physical, emotional, and relational control with food. Each strategy produces different positive and negative consequences regarding emotions and physical sensations. This study suggests that adolescent need for autonomy interacts with a sense of feeling out of control of one’s external environment and insufficient coping mechanisms may increase susceptibility to maladaptive eating behaviors.

OBJECTIVE: Research has shown a clear relationship between perfectionism and other pathology including eating disorders, typically restrictive and purging disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. However, the relationship between perfectionism and loss of control eating disorder had not been explored. Similarly, we suspect there to be a relationship between perfectionism and self-discrepancy, and that shame might be a mediating variable in the relationship between these constructs and loss of control eating. This study investigated the relationship between these three variables to better understand how shame mediates or moderates the relationship between perfectionism, self-discrepancy, and loss of control eating. METHOD: In Phase 1 College students (N = 502) completed a screening survey including Frost's Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale to assess participants' levels of perfectionism, the Integrated Self Discrepancy Index to assess their self-discrepancy scores to assess their baseline perfectionism and actual:ought self-discrepancy levels. This survey also determined whether participants met the inclusion criteria for Phase 2 (N = 15), two loss of control eating episodes per week over the past two weeks, where they received a daily survey via text for 10 days assessing their level of shame and eating behaviors the previous day. At the end of the 10 days, a multi-level regression model was conducted to determine the relationship between perfectionism, self-discrepancy (actual:ought) and loss of control eating, and the role of shame in that relationship. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Results found shame to be a strong moderating factor for loss of control eating behaviors, holding perfectionism, and actual:ought self-discrepancy at their mean, but not when self-discrepancy and perfectionism were both higher or lower than the mean. When the discrepancy was high and perfectionism was at its mean, and when perfectionism was low and discrepancy was at its mean, shame was a robust predictor of loss of control eating. However, when perfectionism was high and discrepancy was at its mean, shame was not found to predict loss of control eating. When perfectionism was low and discrepancy was high, shame was found to be a very strong predictor of loss of control eating. Lastly, when perfectionism was high and discrepancy was low, shame was a moderate predictor of loss of control eating. This suggests that perfectionism may be a construct that may lead to more LOCE in individuals that already experience it, but it alone is not a risk factor. It may also suggest that while general maladaptive perfectionism is not a risk factor, more specific subsets could have a stronger relationship with LOCE. The results also show that actual:ought self-discrepancy is a more significant predictor of LOCE.

Objective: Emerging prospective evidence from mixed samples, mostly covering short-term follow-up periods, suggests that childhood loss of control (LOC) eating predicts significant impairment in mental and physical health. This study sought to investigate the natural course of childhood LOC eating over the long term and in relation to binge eating disorder (BED) diagnosis, psychopathology, and body weight trajectory in the community. Method: A total of 60 children (8-13 years) with LOC eating within the past three months and 60 demographically-matched children without LOC history were assessed with the Eating Disorder Examination adapted for Children and self-report questionnaires over a 5.5 year follow-up period. Missing data were imputed. Results: Over follow-up, 38.3% of children showed persistent LOC eating, and 28.3% revealed an onset of LOC eating. Persistent LOC eating significantly predicted onset of partial-/full-syndrome BED at follow-up. Negative prognostic effects on eating disorder psychopathology, depressive symptoms, and body mass index were non-significant. Discussion: The results indicate a moderate stability of LOC eating over the long term. LOC eating, especially if stable, was suggested as a variable risk factor of clinically relevant eating disturbances. In contrast, a prognostic value for psychopathology and body mass index was not confirmed.

(1) Background: Research on parental feeding practices and non-normative eating behavior including loss of control (LOC) eating and eating disorder psychopathology indicated separate associations of these variables with child weight status, especially in early childhood. This study cross-sectionally examined interaction effects of restriction, monitoring, pressure to eat, and children’s weight status on disordered eating in children aged 8–13 years. (2) Methods: A population-based sample of N = 904 children and their mothers completed the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire for Children and the Child Feeding Questionnaire. Child anthropometrics were objectively measured. Hierarchical linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted for cross-sectionally predicting global eating disorder psychopathology and recurrent LOC eating by feeding practices and child weight status for younger (8–10 years) and older (11–13 years) ages. (3) Results: Restriction x Child weight status significantly predicted global eating disorder psychopathology in younger children and recurrent LOC eating in older children. Monitoring x Child weight status significantly predicted eating disorder psychopathology in older children. A higher versus lower child weight status was associated with adverse eating behaviors, particularly in children with mothers reporting high restriction and monitoring. (4) Conclusions: Detrimental associations between higher child weight status and child eating disorder symptomatology held especially true for children whose mothers strongly control child food intake.

Objective: Loss of control (LOC) eating is a salient indicator of eating disorder psychopathology in adolescents and is associated with marked distress. While research has focused on the relevance of episode size, clinical significance of LOC eating frequency has rarely been explored. Therefore, this study aimed at identifying LOC eating prevalence with respect to its recurrence and associated variables in a community-based sample. Method: Participants were 1643 adolescents, aged 12-20 years (62.4% female). Based on EDE-Q self-report, participants were categorized as those reporting recurrent (N = 156; 9.5%), non-recurrent (N = 226; 13.8%) and no LOC eating (N = 1261; 76.7%). Results: Adolescents with recurrent LOC eating reported clinically relevant and significantly greater eating disorder psychopathology, functional impairment and distress because of LOC eating, and a significantly higher body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) than adolescents with non-recurrent and those without LOC eating. Discussion: These results underline that LOC eating is a common eating behavior among adolescents in the community associated with clinical characteristics of eating disorders, and could therefore be a risk factor for developing full- or partial-syndrome eating disorders. Further research on the classification of eating disorders in adolescents with LOC eating and severity indicators is warranted.

Objective: Loss of control (LOC) eating is a salient indicator of eating disorder psychopathology in adolescents and is associated with marked distress. While research has focused on the relevance of episode size, clinical significance of LOC eating frequency has rarely been explored. Therefore, this study aimed at identifying LOC eating prevalence with respect to its recurrence and associated variables in a community-based sample. Method: Participants were 1643 adolescents, aged 12-20 years (62.4% female). Based on EDE-Q self-report, participants were categorized as those reporting recurrent (N = 156; 9.5%), non-recurrent (N = 226; 13.8%) and no LOC eating (N = 1261; 76.7%). Results: Adolescents with recurrent LOC eating reported clinically relevant and significantly greater eating disorder psychopathology, functional impairment and distress because of LOC eating, and a significantly higher body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) than adolescents with non-recurrent and those without LOC eating. Discussion: These results underline that LOC eating is a common eating behavior among adolescents in the community associated with clinical characteristics of eating disorders, and could therefore be a risk factor for developing full- or partial-syndrome eating disorders. Further research on the classification of eating disorders in adolescents with LOC eating and severity indicators is warranted.

Objective: Emerging prospective evidence from mixed samples, mostly covering short-term follow-up periods, suggests that childhood loss of control (LOC) eating predicts significant impairment in mental and physical health. This study sought to investigate the natural course of childhood LOC eating over the long term and in relation to binge eating disorder (BED) diagnosis, psychopathology, and body weight trajectory in the community. Method: A total of 60 children (8-13 years) with LOC eating within the past three months and 60 demographically-matched children without LOC history were assessed with the Eating Disorder Examination adapted for Children and self-report questionnaires over a 5.5 year follow-up period. Missing data were imputed. Results: Over follow-up, 38.3% of children showed persistent LOC eating, and 28.3% revealed an onset of LOC eating. Persistent LOC eating significantly predicted onset of partial-/full-syndrome BED at follow-up. Negative prognostic effects on eating disorder psychopathology, depressive symptoms, and body mass index were non-significant. Discussion: The results indicate a moderate stability of LOC eating over the long term. LOC eating, especially if stable, was suggested as a variable risk factor of clinically relevant eating disturbances. In contrast, a prognostic value for psychopathology and body mass index was not confirmed.

Eating and feeding disturbances are prevalent yet understudied health conditions in youth. They are characterized by aberrant eating behaviors, cognitive and emotional dysfunctions, and dysregulated body weight. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition defines several feeding and eating disorders with a common onset in youth; however, data on their clinical validity at young ages are lacking. Further non-normative eating behaviors exist, but their clinical relevance needs elucidation. This Special Issue compiles state-of-the-art reviews and empirical research on the presentation, development, course, and maintenance of diverse eating and feeding disturbances as a prerequisite for delineating evidence-based interventions for treatment and prevention.