Explore the potential triggers to binge eating episode

Abstract

Apart from the manifestation within the eating disorder framework, binge eating is also considered as a maladaptive eating behaviour that can occur to individuals without a formal diagnosis of eating disorder. By reviewing recent empirical literatures, negative emotions, body-image, perfectionism, and dieting seem to emerge as primary triggers to binge eating episode. Specially, negative emotions have been extensively discussed and believed to play a pivotal role in triggering the onset of binge eating. Body image and the trait perfectionism tend to be interrelated and mutually reinforced, increasing the risk for binge eating. Lastly, the effect of dieting seems to be relatively ambiguous, as it has been shown to be confounded by multiple factors, indicative of an indirect effect on binge eating. Although limitations were acknowledged, the findings of the present study still provided a comprehensive insight into the potential triggers to binge eating among the subgroup of people without eating disorders.