A naturalistic investigation of eating behavior in bulimia nervosa.

Abstract

Simon Fraser University Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, and Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada Toronto General Hospital, Ontario, Canada This study investigated the parameters of eating behavior in subjects meeting the diagnosis of bu- limia nervosa (BN). Twenty BN and 24 female comparison (FC) subjects monitored hourly over a number of consecutive days their food intake, mood, hunger, social circumstances, and experiences of unpleasant events. Compared with FC subjects, BN subjects reported more positive moods rela- tive to their typical moods in the hour prior to consuming a meal. Within the BN group, subjects reported more negative moods in the hour prior to a binge episode compared with their moods prior to consuming a snack or meal. The BN subjects were also calorie deprived in the hour prior to a binge episode relative to FC subjects at an equivalent time of the day. These results are discussed within the framework of restraint theory. Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a psychogenic disturbance in eating behavior characterized by episodes of uncontrolled overeating, termed