The clinical significance of loss of control over eating in overweight adolescents

Objective: Given limited data on the diagnostic validity of binge eating disorder (BED) in adolescents, this study sought to characterize overweight adolescents according to types of overeating episodes. Method: Ninety-six adolescents (ages 13-17 years) with recurrent binge eating (BE), loss of control with or without overeating (subclinical BE; SUB), overeating without loss of control (OE), and no overeating or loss of control episodes (CONTROL) were compared on weight/shape concerns and depressive symptoms using ANCOVA and post-hoc least squares difference tests. Results: BE and SUB adolescents had higher weight/shape concern scores than OEs and CONTROLS (ps < .01). BE and SUB adolescents had higher depression scores than CONTROL adolescents (ps < .05). BE adolescents had greater depression scores than OE (p < .01) but not SUB adolescents. Conclusion: Loss of control over eating signals increased impairment independent of overeating in adolescents. Results support refining BED criteria for youth to reflect this distinction.